Accelerated Leach Testing Of Glass (Altglass): Ii. Mineralization Of Hydrogels By Leachate Strong Bases

The durability of high level nuclear waste glasses must be predicted on geological time scales. Waste glass surfaces form hydrogels when in contact with water for varying test durations. As the glass hydrogels age, some exhibit an undesirable resumption of dissolution at long times while others exhibit near steady-state dissolution, that is, non-resumption of dissolution. Resumption of dissolution is associated with the formation of zeolitic phases, while non-resumption of dissolution is associated with the formation of clay minerals.