Phase analysis of simulated nuclear fuel debris synthesized using UO, Zr, and stainless steel and leaching behavior of the fission products and matrix elements

Tonna, Ryutaro*; Sasaki, Takayuki*; Kodama, Yuji*; Kobayashi, Taishi*; Akiyama, Daisuke*; Kirishima, Akira*; Sato, Nobuaki*; Kumagai, Yuta; Kusaka, Ryoji; Watanabe, Masayuki

Nuclear Engineering and Technology, 55(4), p.1300 - 1309, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.net.2022.12.017

Simulated debris was synthesized using UO, Zr, and stainless steel and a heat treatment method under inert or oxidizing conditions. The primary U solid phase of the debris synthesized at 1473 K under inert conditions was UO, whereas a (U,Zr)O solid solution formed at 1873 K. Under oxidizing conditions, a mixture of UO and (Fe,Cr)UO phases formed at 1473 K whereas a (U,Zr)O solid solution formed at 1873 K. The leaching behavior of the fission products from the simulated debris was evaluated using two methods: the irradiation method, for which fission products were produced via neutron irradiation, and the doping method, for which trace amounts of non-radioactive elements were doped into the debris. The dissolution behavior of U depended on the properties of the debris and aqueous medium the debris was immersed in. Cs, Sr, and Ba leached out regardless of the primary solid phases. The leaching of high-valence Eu and Ru ions was suppressed, possibly owing to their solid-solution reaction with or incorporation into the uranium compounds of the simulated debris.

Sorption of Cs and Eu ions onto sedimentary rock in the presence of gamma-irradiated humic acid

Zhao, Q.*; Saito, Takeshi*; Miyakawa, Kazuya; Sasamoto, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Taishi*; Sasaki, Takayuki*

Journal of Hazardous Materials, 428, p.128211_1 - 128211_10, 2022/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.128211

The influence of humic acid and its radiological degradation on the sorption of Cs and Eu by sedimentary rock was investigated to understand the sorption process of metal ions and humic substances. Aldrich humic acid (HA) solution was irradiated with different doses of gamma irradiation using a Co-60 gamma-ray source prior to the contact between the metal ions and the solid sorbent. The HA molecule decomposed to smaller molecules with a lower complexation affinity. Batch sorption experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of gamma-irradiated HA on the sorption of Cs and Eu ions. The addition of non-irradiated HA weakened the sorption of Eu because of the lower sorption of the neutral or negatively charged Eu-HA complexes compared with free Eu ions. The sorption of monovalent Cs ions was barely affected by the presence of HA and its gamma irradiation. The concentration ratio of HA complexed species and non-complexed species in the solid and liquid phases was evaluated by sequential filtration and chemical equilibrium calculations. The ratios supported the minimal contribution of HA to Cs sorption. However, the concentration ratio for Eu in the liquid phase was high, indicating that the complexing ability of HA to Eu was higher than that of HA to Cs ions. Therefore, the sorption of free Eu would predominate with the gamma irradiation dose applied to the HA solution under a radiation field near the HLW package.

Nanoscopic structure of borosilicate glass with additives for nuclear waste vitrification

Motokawa, Ryuhei; Kaneko, Koji; Oba, Yojiro; Nagai, Takayuki; Okamoto, Yoshihiro; Kobayashi, Taishi*; Kumada, Takayuki; Heller, W. T.*

Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 578, p.121352_1 - 121352_7, 2022/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2021.121352

Thermodynamic interpretation of uranium(IV/VI) solubility in the presence of -isosaccharinic acid

Kobayashi, Taishi*; Sasaki, Takayuki*; Kitamura, Akira

Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics, 138, p.151 - 158, 2019/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jct.2019.06.006

The effect of -isosaccharinic acid (ISA) on the solubility and redox of tetravalent and hexavalent uranium (U(IV), U(VI)) was investigated in the hydrogen ion concentration (pH) range of 613 and at total ISA concentration ([ISA]) = 1010 mol/dm. The dependence of U(IV) solubility on pH and [ISA] suggested the existence of U(OH)(ISA) as a dominant species within the investigated pH range of 612. For the U(VI)-ISA system, UO(OH)(ISA) was suggested as a dominant species at pH 713. The formation constants of the U(IV)-ISA and U(VI)-ISA complexes were determined by least-squares fitting of the solubility data. The solubility of U(IV) and U(VI) in the presence of ISA and its effect on the redox behavior were thermodynamically interpreted based on the obtained constants.

A Thermodynamic model for ZrO(am) solubility at 25C in the Ca-Na-H-Cl-OH-HO system; A Critical review

Rai, D.*; Kitamura, Akira; Altmaier, M.*; Rosso, K. M.*; Sasaki, Takayuki*; Kobayashi, Taishi*

Journal of Solution Chemistry, 47(5), p.855 - 891, 2018/05

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10953-018-0766-4

We have critically reviewed experimental data for Zr hydrolysis constant values for formation of several mononuclear and polynuclear species and a solubility product value for ZrO(am). We have determined new/revised values for the formation constants of Zr(OH), Zr(OH)(aq), Zr(OH), Zr(OH) and CaZr(OH), and the solubility product for ZrO(am) after the critical review.

Thermodynamic model for Zr solubility in the presence of gluconic acid and isosaccharinic acid

Kobayashi, Taishi*; Teshima, Takeshi*; Sasaki, Takayuki*; Kitamura, Akira

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 54(2), p.233 - 241, 2017/02

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2016.1255573

Zr solubility in the presence of gluconic acid (GLU) and isosaccharinic acid (ISA) was investigated as a function of hydrogen ion concentration (pH) and the total concentration of GLU or ISA. The dependence of the increase in Zr solubility on the pH and GLU concentration suggested the existence of Zr(OH)(GLU) in the neutral pH region and Zr(OH)(GLU)(GLU) in the alkaline pH region above pH 10 as the dominant species in the presence of 10 - 10 mol/dm (M) GLU. In the presence of ISA, the dominant species Zr(OH)(ISA) and Zr(OH)(ISA)(ISA) were proposed to occur in the neutral and alkaline pH regions, similar to those found in the presence of GLU. From X-ray diffraction analysis, the solubility-limiting solid phase in the presence of GLU and ISA was considered to be Zr(OH)(am). The formation constants of the Zr gluconate and isosaccharinate complexes were determined by least squares fitting analysis of the solubility data, and the obtained values were discussed in comparison with those of tetravalent actinides.

Sorption of Eu on Na-montmorillonite studied by time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy and surface complexation modeling

Sasaki, Takayuki*; Ueda, Kenyo*; Saito, Takumi; Aoyagi, Noboru; Kobayashi, Taishi*; Takagi, Ikuji*; Kimura, Takaumi; Tachi, Yukio

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 53(4), p.592 - 601, 2016/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2015.1066719

The influences of pH and the concentrations of Eu and NaNO on the sorption of Eu to Na-montmorillonite were investigated through batch sorption measurements and time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). The pH had a little effect on the distribution coefficients (Kd) in 0.01 M NaNO, whereas the Kd strongly depended on pH at 1 M NaNO. A cation exchange model combined with a one-site non-electrostatic surface complexation model was successfully applied to the measured Kd. The TRLFS spectra of Eu sorbed were processed by parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), which corresponded to one outer-sphere (factor A) and two inner-sphere (factor B and C) complexes. It turned out that factors A and B correspond to Eu sorbed by ion exchange sites and inner-sphere complexation with hydroxyl groups of the edge faces, respectively. Factor C became dominant at relatively high pH and ionic strength and likely correspond to the precipitation of Eu(OH) on the surface.

Report on MIGRATION 2011

Tachi, Yukio; Kobayashi, Taishi*

Genshiryoku Bakkuendo Kenkyu (CD-ROM), 18(2), p.113 - 115, 2011/12

https://nuce.aesj.or.jp/jnuce/vol18/Jnuce-Vol18-2-p113-116.pdf

The 13th International Conference on the Chemistry and Migration Behavior of Actinides and Fission Products in the Geosphere (MIGRATION 2011) was held at Peking University, China on 18th-23rd, September, 2011. This report summaries overview of the conference and topics in each technical session, which indicate the state-of-the-art of international research activities on radionuclide migration for geological disposal.

Spontaneous excitation of waves due to anisotropic velocity distribution in GAMMA 10 and JT-60U

Ichimura, Makoto*; Yamaguchi, Yusuke*; Sato, Shoichi*; Katano, Makoto*; Ouchi, Toshiaki*; Muro, Taishi*; Sekihara, Yusuke*; Murakami, Tatsuya*; Moriyama, Shinichi; Kobayashi, Takayuki; et al.

no journal, , 

Fluctuations in the ion cyclotron range of frequency are investigated both on GAMMA 10 and JT-60U. Ion cyclotron emissions (ICEs) due to deuterium-deuterium fusion-product (FP) ions on JT-60U are described. ICE due to H-ions is newly identified. ICE(T) with lower frequency has larger wave numbers than ICE (He) in the same discharge. The excitation of slow Alfvn waves is elucidated for the first time as the mechanism for ICE due to T-ions. The anisotropy of T-ions at the outer plasma edge is evaluated by using Escape Particle Orbit analysis Code (EPOC).

Solubility of technetium(IV) in NaNO solutions

Kobayashi, Taishi*; Sasaki, Takayuki*; Kitamura, Akira

no journal, , 

Solubility of amorphous technetium(IV) hydroxide was investigated using redox buffers to control various redox potentials in NaNO media. Aqueous technetium concentration increased with increasing NaNO concentration. It was found that the obtained aqueous technetium concentration was well interpreted by thermodynamic calculations using the obtained redox potentials.