Abstract
For a future deep repository for spent nuclear fuel, the rate and mechanism for dissolution of fission products and actinides from the fuel is a key parameter for the safety assessment of the disposal concept. Although the behavior of spent nuclear fuel under deep repository conditions has been studied extensively, studies of failed fuel are relatively scarce. However, at the Studsvik laboratory, aerated leaching tests of spent fuel started in the 1980s and two of these were finalized only recently. This provides an opportunity to investigate the effects of long-term contact with water under aerated conditions similar to wet interim storage conditions. In this study, surface investigations have been performed on two fuel pellet samples which have been exposed to leaching solutions for over 30 years. Furthermore, the fuel samples have been exposed to carbonate solutions in an effort to dissolve the secondary phases formed during the extended leaching time.
Graphic Abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time due to technical and time limitations and the data also form part of an ongoing study.
References
D. Langmuir, Uranium solution-mineral equilibria at low temperatures with applications to sedimentary ore deposits. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 42(6), 547–569 (1978)
U.-B. Eklund and R.S. Forsyth. SKB Arbetsrapport 94-02. Spent Fuel Corrosion; Standard experimental procedures and analytical methods (1994).
R. Forsyth, SKB Technical Report TR 97-25. The SKB spent fuel corrosion programme, an evaluation of results from the experimental programme performed in the Studsvik Hot Cell Laboratory (1997).
J. de Pablo et al., The oxidative dissolution mechanism of uranium dioxide. I. The effect of temperature in hydrogen carbonate medium. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 63(19/20), 3097–3103 (1999)
Acknowledgements
The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co is gratefully acknowledged for financial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Roth, O., Askeljung, C., Puranen, A. et al. Investigation of secondary phases formed during long-term aqueous leaching of spent nuclear fuel. MRS Advances 6, 90–94 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-021-00039-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-021-00039-8