Abstract
The importance of solubility phenomena in industrial and natural systems is illustrated mainly by examples related to nuclear energy development. Illustrative examples are given of the consequences of changes in solubility due to gradients of temperature (hydrothermal mass transport), chemical composition (hydrothermal alteration of minerals) electrochemical potential (corrosion) and mechanical stress (fracture mechanics). The chemical systems of interest are primarily insoluble oxides in high temperature water, for example: transition metal oxides on surfaces of structural metal alloys of power plant steam generators; actinide and other heavy metal oxides of nuclear fuels; silicate glasses for immobilizing fission product wastes, and minerals in the rocks of an underground waste vault in contact with heated ground water. Requirements for improved solubility measurement equipment and techniques, experimental data and theoretical methods are noted. Some recent solubility data and their shortcomings are outlined for specific examples, including UO2, basic lead carbonates, potassium aluminosilicate (feldspars), three to five component borosilicate glasses and zirconium hydride (in Zr metal).
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Presentation to First International Symposium on Solubility Phenomena, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, August 21–23, 1984.
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Tomlinson, M. Solubility phenomena in industrial and natural system. J Solution Chem 14, 443–456 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00646977
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00646977