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Leaching Behavior of Zirconolite-Rich Synroc Used to Immobilize High-Fired Plutonium Oxide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

K. P. Hart ,
E. R. Vance ,
M. W. A. Stewart ,
J. Weir ,
M. L. Carter ,
M. Hambley ,
A. Brownscombe ,
R. A. Day ,
S. Leung  and
C. J. Ball
...Show all authors
K. P. Hart
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia (kph@ansto.gov.au)
E. R. Vance
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
M. W. A. Stewart
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
J. Weir
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
M. L. Carter
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
M. Hambley
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
A. Brownscombe
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
R. A. Day
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
S. Leung
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
C. J. Ball
Affiliation:
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, PMB 1, Menai 2234, Australia
B. Ebbinghaus
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
L. Gray
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
T. Kan
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA
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Abstract

This study reports on the use of zirconolite-rich Synroc to demonstrate the safe immobilisation of ‘high-fired’ Pu02. The zirconolite-rich Synroc used in this study was prepared by adding 13 wt% Pu with equimolar amounts of Gd and Hf, relative to Pu, as neutron absorbers. The incorporation of the Pu and neutron absorbers has been studied microstructurally as well as by longer-term leach testing. This work has shown that the sintered ceramic can immobilise 13 wt% of Pu with almost complete incorporation of the Pu (≃ 98%) into the zirconolite phase. Durability studies have shown that under a wide range of leaching conditions there is no major separation of the Pu and neutron absorbers, with the majority of these elements either remaining in the matrix or leaching at low (< 10−4 g m−2 d−1) and comparable rates from the waste form.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 506: Symposium – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXI , 1997 , 161
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1998

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References

REFERENCES

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