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Studies on synthesis, structural and thermal properties of sodium niobium phosphate glasses for nuclear waste immobilization applications

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The structural and thermal properties of sodium niobium phosphate glass are studied to analyse its suitability for immobilizing long-lived radioactive waste from nuclear reprocessing plants. Two series of sodium niobium phosphate glasses such as (A) xNb2O5–(50−x)Na2O–50P2O5 and (B) xNb2O5–(50−x/2)Na2O–(50−x/2) P2O5 (x = 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 mol.%) are prepared by the conventional melt–quenching technique. The influence of the incremental addition of Nb2O5 on the structural and thermal properties of the above two series is investigated. The FTIR and Raman spectra of these glasses revealed that the number of [NbO6] octahedral chain increases with Nb content and dominates as the major structural unit over the number of PO4 tetrahedra unit. The glass transition temperature (Tg), crystallization temperature (Tc) and melting temperature (Tm) are measured by using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Other thermal stability parameters such as Hruby (KH), Angell (KA), Saad–Poulain (KSP) and Weinberg (KW), the total relaxation time of transformation and fragility are evaluated and compared between different composition of glasses. For both series A and B, the glass transition temperature increases with Nb content, suggesting the formation of a larger number of P–O–Nb or Nb–O–Nb linkages compared to the PO4 tetrahedra, resulting in a more rigid network. This is confirmed by Raman spectra which show an increase in the number of Nb–O–Nb bonds with Nb content. The major crystalline phases formed by devitrifying these glasses are identified by XRD and are found to be mainly NaPO3, NbOPO4, Na2Nb6P4O26 and Na4Nb8P4O32.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Dr. N. Sivaraman, Director, MC&MFCG, and Dr. V. Jayaraman, Associate Director, FMCG, IGCAR, for their support and encouragement. Dr. Kitheri Joseph, AD, MFRG, is thankfully acknowledged for support and encouragement. The authors are very much thankful to Mr. Dasarath Maji/AFSS for providing facility for recording thermogram of the samples and Mr. Swaroop Chandra for recording the FTIR. The authors are very much thankful to Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Parida, MMG, IGCAR, for analysing the samples by EDS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu, 603102, India

    Abhiram Senapati, Suvendu Kumar Barik, R. Venkata Krishnan & Hrudananda Jena

  2. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India

    Abhiram Senapati, Suvendu Kumar Barik, R. Venkata Krishnan & Hrudananda Jena

  3. Materials Science Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, 603102, India

    Soumee Chakraborty

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Contributions

AS was responsible for sample preparation, experimental work, conceptualization, interpretation of results, formal analysis and writing the original draft. SKB was involved in experimental work, data collection and interpretation. RVK and HJ took part in discussion, reviewing and editing. SC participated in Raman data collection and interpretation.

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Correspondence to R. Venkata Krishnan or Hrudananda Jena.

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Senapati, A., Barik, S.K., Venkata Krishnan, R. et al. Studies on synthesis, structural and thermal properties of sodium niobium phosphate glasses for nuclear waste immobilization applications. J Therm Anal Calorim 148, 355–369 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-022-11760-3

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