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Radiation Damage in Titanate Ceramics for Plutonium Immobilization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2011

Denis M. Strachan ,
Randall D. Scheele ,
Anne E. Kozelisky ,
Richard L. Sell ,
H. Todd Schaef ,
Matthew J. O'Hara ,
Christopher F. Brown  and
and William C. Buchmiller
Denis M. Strachan
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Randall D. Scheele
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Anne E. Kozelisky
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Richard L. Sell
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
H. Todd Schaef
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Matthew J. O'Hara
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
Christopher F. Brown
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
and William C. Buchmiller
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352, USA
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Abstract

Radiation damage experiments are being performed with pyrochlore and zirconolite in support of the disposition of surplus weapons-ready Pu. Pyrochlore becomes amorphous in approximately 1 year from the alpha recoil damage of ∼ 1018 alphas/g from the decay of 238Pu. The dissolution rate of 238Pu-bearing ceramics increases with increasing radiation damage as measured in a 3 d MCC-1 test at 90°C. Over the same period, zirconolite retains substantial crystallinity albeit with broadened diffraction peaks. The dissolution rate also increases with increasing radiation damage.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 713: Symposium JJ – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXV , 2002 , JJ3.5
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

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References

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