Hot Isostatic Pressed Pyrochlore Glass-Ceramics: Revealing Structure Insides At The Reaction Interface

As potential waste forms for immobilizing actinide-rich radioactive wastes, Eu2Ti2O7 (Eu as a surrogate for minor actinides) pyrochlore glass-ceramics were fabricated via hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) at 1200 degrees C. The structure and microstructure at the reaction interface between the glass-ceramic waste form and the stainless steel (SS) canister under HIPing conditions were carefully investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and synchrotron single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD). The interactions at the reaction interface led to the formations of a similar to 10-mu m-thick Cr2O3 layer as the oxidation front of the SS and a layer of a mixed oxide phase (Eu1.25SiCr0.8Ti1.2O7.5) on the glass-ceramic side of the reaction interface. The crystal structure of such a unique mixed oxide phase was revealed indubitably with a combination of synchrotron SC-XRD and TEM assisted with a focused ion beam (FIB) SEM system. The improved structural understanding of the reaction interface will help to support the utilization of HIPing as a versatile hot consolidation process for the treatment of radioactive wastes.