Yuhan Li1,Lumin Wang1,Tao Ma1,Kai Sun1,Kyle Brinkman2,Jake Amoroso3
University of Michigan1,Clemson University2,Savannah River National Laboratory3
Yuhan Li1,Lumin Wang1,Tao Ma1,Kai Sun1,Kyle Brinkman2,Jake Amoroso3
University of Michigan1,Clemson University2,Savannah River National Laboratory3
The ceramic materials with the structure of hollandite mineral have been proposed to serve as the nuclear waste form to host radionuclides (e.g., Cs) in the high-level nuclear waste (HLW) due to high waste loading capacity and excellent chemical durability. Radiation effects of a series of Ba<sub>1.33-x</sub>Cs<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>2.66-x</sub>Ti<sub>5.34+x</sub>O<sub>16</sub> hollandite (x = 0, 0.1, 0.667, and 1.33) were evaluated for their potential application as waste forms for both fission products (e.g., Cs) and transuranic elements (e.g., Pu and Am).<br/><br/>200-300 keV electrons were used to simulate the effects of ionizing radiation by beta- and gamma-decay of Cs, and 1.2 MeV Kr ions were used to simulate the effects of displacement damage caused by alpha-decay of the transuranic elements. Atomic resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with elemental mapping was used to characterize the material before irradiation. <i>In situ</i> TEM was conducted during both electron and ion beam irradiations. <i>Ex situ</i> ion irradiation experiment with 8 MeV Fe<sup>3+</sup> ion was conducted on bulk Ba- and Cs-hollandite samples and cross-section TEM images were captured with depth dependence.<br/><br/>The results are analyzed and evaluated comparing to the radiation tolerance of other potential ceramic waste forms, and to the doses that might be received in the required service times of waste forms with various level of loadings of different radionuclides.