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Local atomic structure of uranium ions and dissolution behavior of iron phosphate glass hosts to immobilize spent nuclear fuel

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Abstract

Iron phosphate glasses with melting temperatures of ~ 1300 °C were developed to immobilize spent nuclear fuels. The glasses have densities of ~ 3.4 g/cm3 and glass transition temperatures of ~ 555 °C that are high enough to endure the temperatures in geological repositories. The waste loading of UO2 in the glass was ~ 33.73 wt%. Normalized elemental releases from the product consistency test were well below the regulated limit of 2 g/m2. Most of the U in the glass is in the 4 + state, which is more chemically durable than the 6 + state. UO8 polyhedra in the glass with five oxygens at the distance of 2.25 Å and three at 2.87 Å were formed. U atoms are connected to PO4 tetrahedra that form the phosphate glass network. Chemically-durable crystals (uranium pyrophosphate, UP2O7) were formed during the dissolution.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (NRF-2019M2A7A1001811).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Advanced Nuclear Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Gyeongbuk, 37673, Republic of Korea

    Cheong Won Lee, Yong Kon Kwon & Jong Heo

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  1. Cheong Won Lee
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Correspondence to Jong Heo.

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Lee, C.W., Kwon, Y.K. & Heo, J. Local atomic structure of uranium ions and dissolution behavior of iron phosphate glass hosts to immobilize spent nuclear fuel. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 328, 701–706 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-07687-y

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