MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

DMSE Colloquia, Fall 2009

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 | 10:00 AM | 411 White Building

The Critical Role of Metallic and Ceramic Materials for Radioactive Waste Stabilization and Nuclear Materials Containment

John E. Marra

Associate Laboratory Director
Environmental & Chemical Process Technology
Savannah River National Laboratory
Aiken, SC 29808
U.S.A.

Abstract:

A variety of metallic and ceramic materials play critical roles in stabilization and disposal of radioactive waste. These materials are critical to safely dealing with both low-level (LLW) and high-level (HLW) nuclear wastes. In many applications, the nuclear industry utilizes borosilicate glass as the primary stabilization material for HLW. Glass has been selected as the reference form for HLW processing due to its accommodating matrix and adaptation to remote applications. For LLW stabilization, nuclear disposal facilities employ a variety of materials including glass, cementatious materials, and mineralized materials produced by a steam reforming process. In all cases, robust metallic waste packages play a key role in ensuring long-term performance. As the nuclear industry expands, it is paramount that materials and technologies be developed which allow for cost-effective disposition of both legacy and newly-generated wastes. It is becoming increasingly apparent that alternative materials and processes will be necessary to efficiently accomplish this remediation. These alternative processes will be especially important for application at smaller sites or for small-volume waste streams that are not suitable for stabilization using reference processes or major stabilization facilities. In light of this reality, the nuclear industry and government agencies are supporting research and development programs investigating a variety of materials including metals, low-temperature ceramics and cements, alternative glass compositions, ceramics, glass-ceramics, and geopolymers. This presentation will address the critical role that materials play in dealing with nuclear waste issues and describe the baseline processes used to address these wastes. The technology development programs for ‘next-generation’ stabilization processes and systems will also be discussed.

Coffee and doughnuts will be served from 9:30 AM.

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