Cement-based waste forms have long been considered economical technologies for disposal of various types of waste. A solidified cementitious waste form, Cast Stone, was developed to immobilize the radioactive secondary waste from vitrification processes. In this work, Cast Stone was considered for a Na-based caustic liquid waste, and its physical properties were analyzed as a function of liquid waste loading up to 2 M Na. Differences in crystallinity (phase composition), microstructure, mesostructure (pore size distribution, surface area), and macrostructure (density, compressive strength) were investigated using various analytical techniques, in order to assess the suitability of Cast Stone as a chemically durable waste. It was found that the concentration of secondary waste simulant (caustic waste) had little effect on the relevant engineering properties of Cast Stone, showing that Cast Stone could be an effective and tolerant waste form for a wide range of concentrations of high sodium waste.
Revised: May 2, 2013 |
Published: June 1, 2013
Citation
Chung C., L.A. Turo, J.V. Ryan, B.R. Johnson, and J.S. McCloy. 2013.The effect of concentration on the structure and crystallinity of a cementitious waste form for caustic wastes.Journal of Nuclear Materials 437, no. 1-3:332-340.PNNL-SA-90536.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.02.035