Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-2n9c9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-13T22:51:45.606Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Towards a Single Host Phase Ceramic Formulation for UK Plutonium Disposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Martin C. Stennett,
Neil C. Hyatt,
Matthew Gilbert,
Francis R. Livens and
Ewan R. Maddrell
Martin C. Stennett
Affiliation:
Immobilization Science Laboratory, Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK.
Neil C. Hyatt
Affiliation:
Immobilization Science Laboratory, Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK.
Matthew Gilbert
Affiliation:
Centre for Radiochemistry Research, School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.
Francis R. Livens
Affiliation:
Centre for Radiochemistry Research, School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.
Ewan R. Maddrell
Affiliation:
Nexia Solutions Ltd., Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1PG, UK
Get access

Abstract

The UK has a considerable stockpile of separated plutonium; a legacy of over 50 years of civilian nuclear programmes. This material has been considered both as an asset for future energy generation and a liability due to the proliferation threat. A proportion of the PuO2 stocks may be consumed by nuclear fission, in mixed oxide (MOx) or inert matrix (IMF) fuels but a quantity of waste PuO2 will remain which is unsuitable for fuel manufacture and will require immobilisation. A research program is currently underway to investigate the potential of various single phase ceramic formulations for the immobilisation of this waste PuO2 fraction. In this work a number of synthetic mineral systems have been considered including titanate, zirconate, phosphate and silicate based matrices. Although a wealth of information on plutonium disposition in some of the systems exists in the literature, the data is not always directly comparable which hinders comparison between different ceramic hosts. The crux of this research has been to compile a database of information on the proposed hosts to allow impartial comparison of the relative merits and shortcomings in each system.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1107: Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXI , 2008, 413
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

[1] Ringwood, A. E., Kesson, S. E., Ware, N. G., Hibberson, W. O. and Major, A.. The SYNROC process: A geochemical approach to nuclear waste immobilisation. Geochemical Journal. 13, 141 (1979)Google Scholar
[2] Ebbinghaus, B. B., Armantrout, G. A., Gray, L., Herman, C. C., Shaw, H. F. and Van-Konynenburg, R. A.. Plutonium immobilisation project baseline formulation. UCRL-ID-133089 (2000).Google Scholar
[3] Ewing, R. C., Weber, W. J. and Lian, J.. Nuclear waste disposal – pyrochlore (A2B2O7): Nuclear waste form for the immobilisation of plutonium and “minor” actinides. Journal of Applied Physics. 95, 5949 (2004)Google Scholar
[4] Gong, W. L., Lutze, W. and Ewing, R. C.. Zirconia ceramics for excess weapons plutonium waste. Journal of Nuclear Materials. 277, 239 (2000)Google Scholar
[5] Stennett, M. C., Hyatt, N. C., Lee, W. E., and Maddrell, E. R.. Processing and characterisation of fluorite-related ceramic wasteforms for immobilisation of actinides in Environmental Issues and Waste Management Technologies in the Ceramic and Nuclear Industries XI, edited by Herman, C. C., Marra, S., Spearing, D. R., Vance, L., and Vienna, J. D.. Ceramic Transactions. 176, 81 (2006)Google Scholar
[6] Lumpkin, G. R., Smith, K. L. and Blackford, M. G.. Partitioning of uranium and rare earth elements in SYNROC: effect of impurities, metal additives, and waste loading. Journal of Nuclear Materials. 224, 31 (1995)Google Scholar
[7] Ewing, R. C.. The design and evaluation of nuclear-waste forms: Clues from mineralogy. Canadian Mineralogist. 39, 697 (2001)Google Scholar
[8] Lumpkin, G. R.. Ceramic waste forms for actinides. Elements. 2, 47 (2006)Google Scholar
[9] Donald, I. W., Metcalf, B. L. and Taylor, R. N. J.. The immobilisation of high level nuclear waste using ceramics and glasses. Journal of Materials Science. 32, 5851 (1997)Google Scholar
[10] Fielding, P. E. and White, T. J.. Crystal chemical incorporation of high level waste species in aluminotitanate-based ceramics: Valence, location, radiation damage, and hydrothermal stability. Journal of Materials Research. 2, 387 (1987)Google Scholar
[11] Macfarlane, A.. Immobilisation of excess weapons plutonium: A better alternative to glass. Science & Global Security. 7, 271 (1998)Google Scholar
[12] Ewing, R. C.. Plutonium and ‘minor’ actinides: Safe sequestration. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 229, 165 (2005)Google Scholar
[13] Stefanovsky, S. V., Yudintsev, S. V., Giere, R. and Lumpkin, G. R.. Nuclear waste forms in Energy waste and the environment: A geochemical perspective, edited by Giere, R. and Stille, P.. Geological Society of London special publication. 236, (2004).Google Scholar
[14] Bingham, P. A., Hand, R. J., Stennett, M. C., Hyatt, N. C. and Harrison, M. T.. The use of surrogates in waste immobilisation studies: A case study of plutonium in Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXXI (this issue).Google Scholar
[15] Stennett, M. C., Hyatt, N. C., Maddrell, E. R., F. Gibb, F. G., Moebus, G. and Lee, W. E.. Microchemical and crystallographic characterisation of fluorite-based ceramic wasteforms in Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXIX, edited by Iseghem, P. Van. Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings. 932, 623 (2006)Google Scholar
[16] Stennett, M. C., Maddrell, E. R., Scales, C. R., Livens, F. R., Gilbert, M. and Hyatt, N. C.. An evaluation of single phase ceramic formulations for plutonium disposition in Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXX, edited by Dunn, D. S., Poinssot, C., Begg, B.. Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings. 985, (2007).Google Scholar