Role of radioactive waste on microstructure evolution and performance in natural aluminosilicate system

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 332; no. 7; pp. 2653 - 2666
• Main Authors: Huang, Lijing, Shu, Xiaoyan, Tan, Pan, Xuan, Jitao, Wen, Mingfen, Lu, Yuexiang, Liu, Tianhao, Ding, Congcong, Chen, Jing, Dong, Faqin, Li, Xiaoan, Lu, Xirui
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.07.2023; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminosilicates; Aluminum silicates; Cerium; Cerium oxides; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Diagnostic Radiology; Hadrons; Hardness; Heavy Ions; Inorganic Chemistry; Leaching; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear energy; Nuclear Physics; Nuclear reactor components; Nuclear reactors; Physical Chemistry; Radioactive pollution; Radioactive wastes; Sustainable development; Aluminosilicate; Aqueous durability; Structure; Mechanical performance
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-023-08938-w

Sustainable development of nuclear energy benefits from high-quality host materials that treat high-level waste simply and safely. A natural aluminosilicate was used to immobilize CeO 2 in a simulating diagenetic process. Below 7 wt% of CeO 2 , cerium exists in glass in the forms of Si–O–Ce and gap-filling. As it exceeds 7 wt%, being promoted by Ce 4+ reduction, uncured cerium nucleates on the bubble wall. Sample with 7 wt% of CeO 2 shows higher hardness, density and lower normalized leaching rate (10 −5  g m 2  d −1 after 28 d), indicating an excellent stability. This study proposes the natural aluminosilicate as a promising material for treating high-level waste. Graphical abstract