Chemical Durability of Uranium Oxide Containing Glasses

Abstract

Abstract ZrO2 doped Na-Ba-borosilicate glasses suitable as matrix materials for HLW immobilization were synthesized and corrosion behaviour was investigated in different aqueous media. Hydrolytic stability is increased with the doping level until 5 mol %; above this value the glass vitrification tendency is strongly intensified. Unexpectedly, ZrO2 doping diminished the corrosion stability in 1M HCl solution, and low ZrO2 content showed a low corrosion resistance in 1M Na2CO3 solution also. Doping effect was negligible in case of synthetic seawater. The glass structure is significantly stabilized by the integration of the 30% UO3 added.