Plutonium-Doped Monazite and Other Orthophosphates—Thermodynamics and Experimental Data on Long-Term Behavior

Polina Mikhailova, Boris Burakov, Nikolai Eremin, Alexei Averin and Andrey Shiryaev
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Polina Mikhailova: Geology Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Boris Burakov: V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, 194021 St. Petersburg, Russia
Nikolai Eremin: Geology Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Alexei Averin: A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry RAS, 119071 Moscow, Russia
Andrey Shiryaev: A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry RAS, 119071 Moscow, Russia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: The paper consists of two main parts: a microscopic and spectroscopic investigation of the single crystal of 17-year-old 238 Pu-doped Eu-monazite, and a theoretical calculation of the properties of several structural types of orthophosphates. It is shown that actinide-doped monazite is prone to the formation of mechanically weak, poorly crystalline crust, presumably consisting of rhabdophane. Its formation is likely promoted by the formation of peroxides and, potentially, acidic compounds, due to the radiolysis of atmospheric moisture. The calculations of mixing the enthalpies and Gibbs energies of binary solid solutions of Pu and rare earth element (REE) phosphates that were performed for the principal structural types—monazite, xenotime, rhabdophane—show that, in the case of light REEs, the plutonium admixture is preferentially redistributed into the rhabdophane. This process strongly affects the behavior of actinides, leached from a monazite-based waste form. The applications of these results for the development of actinide waste forms are discussed. The current data on the behavior of real actinide-doped monazite suggest that this type of ceramic waste form is not very resistant, even in relatively short time periods.

Keywords: plutonium; monazite; rhabdophane; orthophosphate; radiolysis; nuclear waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:3:p:1203-:d:486052

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