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Aging Studies of Pu-238 and -239 Containing Calcium Phosphate Ceramic Waste-forms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2013

Shirley K. Fong ,
Brian L. Metcalfe ,
Randall D. Scheele  and
Denis M. Strachan
Shirley K. Fong
Affiliation:
Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, Berkshire RG7 4PR, UK
Brian L. Metcalfe
Affiliation:
Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston, Berkshire RG7 4PR, UK
Randall D. Scheele
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Richland, WA, USA
Denis M. Strachan
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Richland, WA, USA
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Abstract

A calcium phosphate ceramic waste-form has been developed at AWE for the immobilisation of chloride containing wastes arising from the pyrochemical reprocessing of plutonium. In order to determine the long term durability of the waste-form, aging trials have been carried out at PNNL. Ceramics were prepared using Pu-239 and -238, these were characterised by PXRD at regular intervals and Single Pass Flow Through (SPFT) tests after approximately 5 yrs.

While XRD indicated some loss of crystallinity in the Pu-238 samples after exposure to 2.8 x 1018 α decays, SPFT tests indicated that accelerated aging had not had a detrimental effect on the durability of Pu-238 samples compared to Pu-239 waste-forms.

Keywords

radiation effectswaste managementPu
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1518: Symposium LL – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXVI , 2012 , pp. 73 - 78
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2013 

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References

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