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Investigation of Processing Parameters for the Consolidation of Actinide Glass-Ceramic Wasteforms by Hot Isostatic Pressing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 February 2017

Stephanie Thornber ,
Paul Heath ,
Ewan Maddrell ,
Martin C. Stennett  and
Neil C. Hyatt
Stephanie Thornber*
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
Paul Heath
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
Ewan Maddrell
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK National Nuclear Laboratory, Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1PG, UK.
Martin C. Stennett
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
Neil C. Hyatt
Affiliation:
University of Sheffield, Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
*
*(Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Glass-ceramics were developed initially for the immobilization of miscellaneous Pu-residues at the UK’s Sellafield site from which it was uneconomic to recover Pu for reuse. Renewed interest in the immobilization of a portion of the UK PuO2 stockpile has led to glass-ceramics being evaluated for bulk Pu immobilization. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in the UK have proposed hot isostatic pressing (HIP) as a potential consolidation technique for the processing of these wasteforms. In this study, zirconolite based glass-ceramics were investigated to determine an optimum formulation. The yield of zirconolite is shown to vary with glass composition and glass fraction, such that a higher Al content favours zirconolite formation. The sample preparation process is discussed to highlight the importance of a high temperature heat-treatment during sample preparation to achieve high quality HIPed wasteforms.

Keywords

waste magagementHIPactinide
Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 1 , Issue 63-64: Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXIX , 2016 , pp. 4269 - 4274
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2017 

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References

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