Geopolymers as candidates for low/intermediate level highly alkaline waste.

No Thumbnail Available
Date
2006-11-27
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Materials Research Society
Abstract
Geopolymers should be serious waste form candidates for intermediate level waste (ILW), insofar as they are more durable than Portland cement and can pass the PCT-B test for high-level waste. Thus an alkaline ILW could be considered to be satisfactorily immobilised in a geopolymer formulation. However a simulated Hanford tank waste was found to fail the PCT-B criterion even for a waste loading as low as 5 wt%, very probably due to the formation of a soluble sodium phosphate compound(s). This suggests that it could be worth developing a ìmixedî GP waste form in which the amorphous material can immobilise cations and a zeolitic component to immobilise anions. The PCTñB test is demonstrably subject to significant saturation effects, especially for relatively soluble waste forms.
Description
Keywords
Polymers, Wastes, Alkaline hydrolysis, Materials, Radioactive waste management, Radioactive wastes
Citation
Perera, D., Vance, E., Kiyama, S., Aly, Z., & Yee, P. (2007). Geopolymers as candidates for low/intermediate level highly alkaline waste. 30th International Symposium on the Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management (2006 MRS Fall Meeting), 27th November – 1st December 2006. Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America: Hynes Convention Center. In D.S. Dunn, C. Poinssot, B. Begg (Eds.), Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXX, 985 (Symposium NN), 361-6(0985-NN10-01). doi:10.1557/PROC-985-0985-NN10-01