A comprehensive study on the synthesis and characterization of glass as a nuclear waste host

Abstract

The nuclear waste host Zinc-Iron-Phosphate glass have been prepared with molar composition 40 P2O5 – 10 B2O3 – 20Fe2O3 – (30-x) ZnO – xBaO2, where we vary x as 0, 5, 10 and 20 by melt quench method. FTIR results shows that the chemical durability of HLW glasses increase due to the presence of Fe2O3 content because P- O-P bond is being replaced by more chemically resistant Fe-O-P bonds. The dimension of relative area for one group is proportional to its peak intensity in Raman spectra. Generally, the loading of HLW induces the increase of Q0 groups and the decrease of Q1 and Q2 groups. The variations of Raman Spectra are consistent with the results of FTIR analysis. The optical absorption spectra of these glasses were measured at room temperature in the wavelength range between 200 and 800 nm. The optical absorption indicates that the electronic transition is indirect. From the absorption spectra, the optical energy band gaps for all the glass samples were calculated from their ultraviolet edges. The values of Eenrgy is found to increase from 3.36 to 3.83 eV as ZnO content is increases. Variation in these optical parameters is discussed and correlated with the structural changes within the glassy matrix.