Abstract
To produce high radiation damage and excessive helium concentrations, the B-10(n, α)Li-7 nuclear reaction was applied to a zinc-borosilicate glass. The number of displaced atoms could be estimated by using a collision model. The fraction of displaced atoms in glasses containing actinide elements was calculated to be orders of magnitude larger from α-decay than from β,γ-decay and spontaneous fission. Helium diffusion was measured between ∿120 and ∿650°C and was found to be dependent upon the α-dose up to 500°C. The activation enthalpy increased from 79 to 111 kJ/mole when the α-dose rose from 1017 to 1019 per cm3. The activation enthalpy as a function of the number of displacements per atom (dpa) revealed a saturation at about 0.1 dpa. At higher temperatures the diffusion dependency upon the α-dose disappeared and the activation enthalpy was 45 kJ/mole. With respect to the long-term situation, the above results gave evidence that helium will remain in the waste glass and a saturation of radiation damage will only be reached after some ten thousand years.
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© 1979 Plenum Press, New York
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Malow, G., Andresen, H. (1979). Helium Formation from α-Decay and its Significance for Radioactive Waste Glasses. In: McCarthy, G.J., et al. Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9107-8_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9107-8_11
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