Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 September 2012
The objective of the work was to evaluate the long-term capacity of sinteredglass to retain high-level nuclear wastes (HLW) in near-repositoryconditions. We have studied the corrosion behavior of waste forms partiallydevitrified (43 vol.%) in different aqueous media. Devitrified samples wereirradiated at doses (γ radiation from a Co 60 source) rangingfrom 1.4 × 106 Gy to 2.0 × 108 Gy, in order to studytheir aqueous corrosion resistance in simulated underground water. Theresults show little or no effect of irradiation on the density,microstructure and corrosion resistance. The global dissolution rate wasalmost constant around a value of 5×10−5 g. cm−2 d−1. Elemental dissolution rates were also unaffected byradiation.