Study of the behavior of cesium and strontium in co-melting basalt and silica gel containing cesium or strontium nitrates for the development of a potential material for radioactive waste immobilization

Abstract

The work studied the distribution of cesium and strontium in cast stone matrices obtained by co-melting basalt and silica gel (hereinafter SiO2) containing cesium or strontium nitrates at 1623 K during 5 h. The melt cooling rate was ∼2 °C/min.Co-melting basalt and SiO2 containing CsNO3 or Sr(NO3)2 at a basalt/SiO2 initial mass ratio of 5 : 1 produced cast stone matrices, in which the main phases were Cr–Fe spinel and glass. At the same time co-melting basalt and SiO2 containing CsNO3 or Sr(NO3)2 at an initial mass ratio of 2 : 1 yielded matrices which, apart from Cr–Fe spinel and glass, included pollucite, clinopyroxene, and Ti-containing magnetite phases for Cs-containing system, magnetite and olivine phases for Sr-containing system.For Cs-containing system at a basalt/SiO2 initial mass ratio of 5 : 1 the glass phase showed almost an even distribution of cesium, whereas the spinel phase was virtually free of cesium. At a basalt/SiO2 initial mass ratio of 2 : 1 the major amount of cesium was found in the pollucite phase, where it mainly occurred in parts containing SiO2. Some amount of cesium was found in the glass phase. The other crystal phases found in the matrix were virtually free of cesium.For Sr-containing system at a basalt/SiO2 initial mass ratio of 5 : 1 the process yielded two types of glass: one rich in Ca and the other in Sr. Strontium was mainly found in the glass phases. The spinel phase was virtually free of strontium. At a basalt/SiO2 initial mass ratio of 2 : 1 strontium was mainly found in the glass phases. The magnetite, olivine, and Cr–Fe spinel phases were virtually free of strontium.