• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.7
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• pp.2261-2267
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• 2021

This paper evaluates the efficacy of magnesium potassium phosphate cements (MKPCs) as waste forms for the solidification of radioactive concrete powder wastes produced by the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. MKPC specimens that contained up to 50 wt% of simulated concrete powder wastes (SCPWs) were evaluated. We measured the porosity and compressive strength of the MKPC specimens, observing them using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The addition of SCPWs reduced the porosity and increased the compressive strength of the MKPC specimens. Struvite-K crystals were well-synthesized, and no additional crystal phase was formed. After thermal cycling and after immersion, MKPC specimens with 50 wt% SCPWs satisfied the waste-acceptance criteria (WAC) for compressive strength. Semi-dynamic leaching tests were performed using the ANS 16.1 method; the leachability indices of Cs, Co, and Sr were 11.45, 17.63, and 15.66, respectively, which also satisfy the WAC. Thus, MKPCs can provide stable matrices to immobilize radioactive concrete wastes generated by the decommissioning of nuclear power plants.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3631-3640
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• 2022

Uranium mill tailing ponds (UMTPs) are risk source of debris flow and a critical source of environmental U and Rn pollution. The technology of microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has been extensively studied on reinforcement of UMTs, while little attention has been paid to the effects of MICP on U & Rn release, especially when incorporation of metakaolin and bacillus subtilis (MBS). In this study, the reinforcement and U & Rn immobilization role of MBS -MICP solidification in different grouting cycle for uranium mill tailings (UMTs) was comprehensively investigated. The results showed that under the action of about 166.7 g/L metakaolin and ~50% bacillus subtilis, the solidification cycle of MICP was shortened by 50%, the solidified bodies became brittle, and the axial stress increased by up to 7.9%, and U immobilization rates and Rn exhalation rates decrease by 12.6% and 0.8%, respectively. Therefore, the incorporation of MBS can enhance the triaxial compressive strength and improve the immobilization capacity of U and Rn of the UMTs bodies solidified during MICP, due to the reduction of pore volume and surface area, the formation of more crystals general gypsum and gismondine, as well as the enhancing of coprecipitation and encapsulation capacity.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.2427-2434
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• 2022

Series of unequal quantity Nd/Ce co-doped ceramic nuclear waste forms, (Gd, Nd)₂(Zr, Ce)₂O₇, were prepared to tailor its ordered pyrochlore or disordered fluorite structure. The phase transition, microtopography, and elemental composition of the ceramic samples were systematically investigated, especially the effect of order-disorder structure on the chemical stability. It was confirmed that unequal quantity of Nd/Ce could synchronously replace the Gd/Zr-sites of Gd₂Zr₂O₇. And the phase transition of order-disorder structure could be successfully tailored by regulating the average cationic radius ratio of (Gd, Nd)₂(Zr, Ce)₂O₇ series. The elements of Gd, Nd, Zr, and Ce are uniformly distributed in the ordered or disordered structures. The MCC-1 leaching results showed that (Gd, Nd)₂(Zr, Ce)₂O₇ pyrochlore ceramic nuclear waste forms had excellent chemical stability, whose elements' normalized leaching rates were as low as 10^-4-10^-7 g·m^-2·d^-1 after 7 days. In particular, the chemical stability of disordered structure was superior to that of ordered structure. It was proposed that the force constant and the closest packing were changed with the structure transformation resulting the chemical stability difference.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.3250-3259
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• 2022

A new approach to the use of rice straw as a difficult-to-recycle agricultural waste was proposed. Potassium aluminosilicate was obtained by spark plasma sintering as an effective material for subsequent immobilization of ¹³⁷Cs into a solid-state matrix. The sorption properties of potassium aluminosilicate to ¹³⁷Cs from aqueous solutions were studied. The effect of the synthesis temperature on the phase composition, microstructure, and rate of cesium leaching from samples obtained at 800-1000 ℃ and a pressure of 25 MPa was investigated. It was shown that the positive dynamics of compaction was characteristic of glass ceramics throughout the sintering. Glass ceramics RS-(K,Cs)AlSi₃O₈ obtained by the SPS method at 1000 ℃ for 5 min was characterized by a high density of ~2.62 g/cm³, Vickers hardness ~ 2.1 GPa, compressive strength ~231.3 MPa and the rate of cesium ions leaching of ~1.37 × 10^-7 g cm^-2·day^-1. The proposed approach makes it possible to safe dispose of rice straw and reduce emissions into the atmosphere of microdisperse amorphous silica, which is formed during its combustion and causes respiratory diseases, including cancer. In addition, the obtained is perspective to solve the problem of recycling long-lived ¹³⁷Cs radionuclides formed during the operation of nuclear power plants into solid-state matrices.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.172-177
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• 2017

A novel biosorbent, immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae in magnetic chitosan microspheres was prepared, characterized, and used for the removal of $Sr^{2+}$ from aqueous solution. The structure and morphology of immobilized S. cerevisiae before and after $Sr^{2+}$adsorption were observed using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The experimental results showed that the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models could be used to describe the $Sr^{2+}$ adsorption onto immobilized S. cerevisiae microspheres. The maximal adsorption capacity ($q_m$) was calculated to be 81.96 mg/g by the Langmuir model. Immobilized S. cerevisiae was an effective adsorbent for the $Sr^{2+}$ removal from aqueous solution.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.269-277
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• 2017

In this work, as a preliminary experimental works, which focuses on utilizing separated pastes from activated (or radioactive) concrete as solidifying agents for radioactive waste immobilization, were performed. It was found that density of hydrated cement paste, which was lower than that of ordinary portland cement, increased as temperature for heat treatment increased. Highest compressive strength was observed with the specimens that was heat treated at $600^{\circ}C$. However, heat treatment over $700^{\circ}C$ showed higher CaO content that caused higher heat of hydration after in contact with water, lows of workability, and lower strength. Based on experimental results, it is suggested that $600^{\circ}C$ heat treatment is more appropriate for waste cement paste to be used as a solidifying agent.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 1975

Immobilization of the second-cycle radioactive liquid wastes from a Purex process was developed with the blown asphalt (manufactured by Kukdong Shell Oil Company Ltd) to eliminate the possibility that the radioactive materials will be redispersed into the environment. Attempts to incorporate these wastes directly into the asphalt martrices without any pretreatment were not successful, as it was observed that the sulphuric acid in the waste oxidised the asphalt. Hence, the waste was treated with caustic soda and made alkaline prior to bituminization, so that it was found that this pretreatment made the waste compatible to the asphalt matrices. The pure blown asphalt samples irradiated with doses of 4.0$\times$10$^{7}$ rad showed no evidence of volume increase. The suitable temperature for incorporation of the alkaline wastes into blown asphalt was 180-20$0^{\circ}C$. The Products containing 50 wt% salts represented the following good properties viz., volume reduction (about 1.4), homogeneity, teachability etc. During the period of 131 day $s^{l37}$Cs from products containing 40wt% salts was leached at rates ranging from 2.70$\times$10-4 to 8.27$\times$10-4g/cm2_day but the rate for $^{90}$ Sr was lower by one to two orders of magnitude by distilled water. The leaching rates for $^{137}$ Cs and $^{90}$ Sr by sea water were slightly lower than by distilled water. Both of the leaching rates decreased with increasing pH.H.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2022.04a
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• pp.166-167
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• 2022

The International Energy Agency(IEA) recommends that intergovernmental agreements reduce CO2 emissions by 2050 to about 50% in 2005 in its report. To realize these demands, it is suggested to actively utilize energy efficiency improvement technology, renewable energy, nuclear power, carbon dioxide capture & storage technology (CCS). In the field of building materials and cement, mineral carbonization technology is widely used. Inorganic by-products applicable to greenhouse gas storage include waste concrete, slag, coal ash, and gypsum. If the Mineral Carbonation Act is used, it is expected that about 12 million tons of greenhouse gases can be immobilized every year. Greenhouse gas immobilization using cement hydrate can be immobilized by injecting carbon dioxide into the hydrated products C-S-H, and Ca(OH)2. In the case of immobilization through concrete carbonization, a carbon dioxide promotion test is used, which is often different from the actual carbon dioxide carbonization reaction. If the external carbon dioxide concentration is abnormally higher than the reality, it is thought that it will be different from the actual reaction. In this study, the carbonation phenomenon according to the concentration and identification of the carbon dioxide reaction mechanism of cement hydrate was to be considered.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.755-760
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• 2019

Compound samples based on the mineral-like magnesium potassium phosphate matrix $MgKPO_4{\times}6H_2O$ were synthesized by solidification of high level waste surrogate. Phase composition and structure of synthesized samples were studied by XRD and SEM methods. Compressive strength of the compounds is $12{\pm}3MPa$. Coefficient of thermal expansion of the samples in the range $250-550^{\circ}C$ is $(11.6{\pm}0.3){\times}10^{-6}1/^{\circ}C$, and coefficient of thermal conductivity in the range $20-500^{\circ}C$ is $0.5W/(m{\times}K)$. Differential leaching rate of elements from the compound, $g/(cm^2{\times}day)$: $Mg-6.7{\times}10^{-6}$, $K-3.0{\times}10^{-4}$, $P-1.2{\times}10^{-4}$, $^{137}Cs-4.6{\times}10^{-7}$; $^{90}Sr-9.6{\times}10^{-7}$; $^{239}Pu-3.7{\times}10^{-9}$, $^{241}Am-9.6{\times}10^{-10}$. Leaching mechanism of radionuclides from the samples at the first 1-2 weeks of the leaching test is determined by dissolution ($^{137}Cs$), wash off ($^{90}Sr$) or diffusion ($^{239}Pu$ and $^{241}Am$) from the compound surface, and when the tests continue to 90-91 days - by surface layer depletion of compound. Since the composition and physico-chemical properties of the compound after irradiation with an electron beam (absorbed dose of 1 MGy) are constant the radiation resistance of compound was established.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.173-183
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• 1988

Effects of oxide additives such as MoO3, MnO2 ZrO2 and Fe2O3 on the phase separation and the chemical durability of sodium borosilicate glasses which are the host of waste glasses have been investigated as the basic study on the nuclear-waste immobilization through vitrification. MoO3 and MnO2 were found to be phase separation promotors which increased the temperature as well as catalyzed nucleation and growth for the phase separation of the 10Na2-O-3OB2O3-6OSiO2 (wt%) parent glass within the immiscibility region. The glasses had the interconnected phase-separated structure as the amount of addition increased. On the other hand, ZrO2 and Fe2O3 were inhibitors which showed the reverse effects to the above promotors. It was also found that addition of MoO3 could cause the phase separaton of the 20Na2O-10B2O3-70SiO2(wt%) glass even within the miscibility region. Addition of ZrO2 and Fe2O3 increased the chemical durability of the parent glass within the immiscibility region. Within the miscibility region, however, the addition of 1.96 wt % of MoO3 increased the chemical durability considerably, while MnO2 had little effects.