Characterization of the Microstructure of Zirconolite-Based Glass-Ceramics

Abstract

December 1991 legislation in France has spurred research on enhanced separation and conditioning or transmutation of long-lived radionuclides from high level radioactive wastes (HLW). In this field, we have studied zirconolite-based glass-ceramics in which the crystalline phase (zirconolite: CaZrTi2O7) aimed to preferentially incorporate minor actinides is embedded in a glassy calcium aluminosilicate matrix. At the laboratory scale, the crystallization of the parent glass is carried out thanks to a two-step thermal treatment: a nucleation stage followed by a growth stage. This paper presents the evolution of the crystallization, followed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), with the temperature of the crystal growth thermal treatment, in the range 950 degrees - 1350 degrees C.