Effect of β-Irradiation on the structure of iron polyphosphate glass

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 523; pp. 198 - 205
• Main Authors: Goj, Paweł, Jeleń, Piotr, Marczewska, Barbara, Stoch, Paweł
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: FTIR spectroscopy; Glass; Immobilization; Iron; Iron and steel industry; Iron-phosphate glass; Irradiation; Melt temperature; Organic chemistry; Oxygen; Oxygen enrichment; Radiation; Radioactive wastes; Raman spectroscopy; Viscosity; β-Irradiation; Iron-phosphate glass; Raman spectroscopy; β-Irradiation; FTIR spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.06.014

Phosphate glasses are materials which are important from the fundamental and practical point of view. Among them of special interest in the nuclear industry can be considered iron-phosphate glasses. The materials by its relatively low viscosity, melting temperature, good chemical durability, and glass network flexibility can be used as a matrix for nuclear waste immobilization. The subject of the studies is polyphosphate glass of composition 70P2O5–30Fe2O3 which structural changes after β-irradiation are presented. The glass was irradiated from a90Sr/90Y source which is one of the biggest origins of damages in nuclear waste glasses. The pristine glass and the glass after irradiation were investigated using FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The pristine glass is built of rather short chains which are joined by iron-oxygen polyhedrons. The homogenous glass structure becomes inhomogeneous with the formation of phosphorous enriched and depleted regions after irradiation. Additionally, the formation of oxygen which can dissolve in the glass or can create oxygen bubbles was detected. The glass network changes have a tendency to saturation for high doses. •Phosphorous depleted and enriched regions.•Oxygen bubbles formation.•Glass network depolymerization.