Chemical durability and structural analysis of PbO–B2O3 glasses and testing for simulated radioactive wastes C. Erdoğan, M. Bengisu, S. Akyıl Erentürk Journal of Nuclear Materials 445 (2014) 154–164

INTRODUCTION

• Lead borate glasses are low melting point glasses with high chemical durability

• Tm < 550°C compared to Tm = 1000-1600°C of currently used silica based waste glass

• Lower viscosities • Wide glass formation range

KEY FINDINGS

Dissolution behavior of PbO–B2O3 glasses in water at 90°C.

Secondary electron SEM images of 80PbO glass before (a–b) and after chemical durability tests (c–d).

Dissolution behavior of vitrified waste products: Sr-added lead borate samples (top) and Cs-added lead borate samples (bottom) in water at 90°C.

CONCLUSION

• Lead borate glasses with high PbO content were shown to possess high chemical durability

• Clear vitrified waste products containing up to 30 mol% SrO and 25 mol% Cs2O could be obtained.