Characterization of glass composite material by pressureless sintering of soil and its application to uranium contaminated soil as a waste form

Jaewoong Hwang; Jaseung Koo; Keunyoung Lee

doi:10.1515/ract-2023-0222

Article

Characterization of glass composite material by pressureless sintering of soil and its application to uranium contaminated soil as a waste form

Jaewoong Hwang , Jaseung Koo and Keunyoung Lee

Published/Copyright: January 25, 2024

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From the journal Radiochimica Acta Volume 112 Issue 3

Abstract

When operating and dismantling a nuclear facility that handles uranium, the surrounding soil may be contaminated, emphasizing the need for appropriate treatment and disposal methods for soil waste. This study assessed high-temperature sintering technology for uranium contaminated soil waste to overcome limitations in existing decontamination methods and the volume increase associated with current solidification technology. The sintering process was found to effectively vitrify and re-mineralize complex chemical components in the soil. Sintered bodies were produced under varying conditions, adjusting molding pressure, heating temperature, and time. Optimized conditions resulted in sintered bodies with a volume reduction rate exceeding 30 % and a compressive strength surpassing 10 MPa, indicating a significant impact on the phase conversion and re-mineralization of silt and clay minerals. The soil sintering mechanism was identified through comprehensive microscopic observations and mineral phase change analysis. Leaching evaluations of sintered bodies, made from simulated uranium-contaminated soil, demonstrated their applicability to contaminated soil wastes. Additionally, it was confirmed that the sintering temperature of the soil could be lowered by incorporating a small amount of B₂O₃, suggesting a means to enhance the economic feasibility of the treatment process. The findings of this study highlight the applicability of pressureless sintering technology, based on glass composite materials, capable of simultaneously reducing and stabilizing uranium-contaminated soil waste.

Keywords: uranium; contaminated soil; radioactive waste; stabilization; sintering; disposal

Corresponding authors: Jaseung Koo, Chungnam National University (CNU), Daehakro 99, Yuseung-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, E-mail: jkoo@cnu.ac.kr; and Keunyoung Lee, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), 111, Daedeok-daero 989, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, E-mail: lky@kaeri.re.kr

Funding source: Ministry of Science and ICT

Award Identifier / Grant number: RS-2022-00155257

Award Identifier / Grant number: RS-2022-00155421

Research ethics: This research complied well with research ethics.
Author contributions: Jaewoong Hwang: Writing – original draft, Methodology, Data cruation Keunyoung Lee: Writing – review & editing, Project administration, Conceptualization, Methodology Jaseung Koo: Supervision, Conceptualization.
Competing interests: The authors state no conflict of interest.
Research funding: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant (No. RS-2022-00155257 & RS-2022-00155421) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
Data availability: The raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding author.

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Received: 2023-09-01

Accepted: 2024-01-05

Published Online: 2024-01-25

Published in Print: 2024-03-25

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2023-0222

Keywords for this article

uranium; contaminated soil; radioactive waste; stabilization; sintering; disposal