Abstract
Synchrotron X-rays have been used to study the oxidation of uranium and uranium hydride when encapsulated in grout and stored in de-ionised water for 10 months. Periodic synchrotron X-ray tomography and X-ray powder diffraction have allowed measurement and identification of the arising corrosion products and the rates of corrosion. The oxidation rates of the uranium metal and uranium hydride were slower than empirically derived rates previously reported for each reactant in an anoxic water system, but without encapsulation in grout. This was attributed to the grout acting as a physical barrier limiting the access of oxidising species to the uranium surface. Uranium hydride was observed to persist throughout the 10 month storage period and industrial consequences of this observed persistence are discussed.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Powders
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Radioactive Waste / analysis*
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Time Factors
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Uranium / analysis*
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Waste Management*
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X-Ray Diffraction
Substances
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Powders
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Radioactive Waste
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Uranium
Grants and funding
This work is primarily supported by a jointly funded EPSRC-NDA grant (EP/I036397/1) entitled 'In situ time-dependent characterisation of corrosion processes in nuclear waste storage and GDF environments' with TBS as the CoI and lead for the part of the project focused on uranium corrosion. Much of the project has been conducted by PhD student CAS. The materials and additional financial support for this project has come from Sellafield Ltd as part of a platform grant associated with the Centre of Expertise for Uranium and Reactive Metals. In the writing of this paper both Sellafield and the NDA (now RWM Ltd) have had input and provided permission to publish.