Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment

Abstract Vitrified wastes from nuclear fuel reprocessing are destined for permanent disposal in deep geological layers. Water will be the vector for glass alteration and the potential migration of radioactive elements. Modeling glass corrosion requires describing the amorphous layer on the glass sur...

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Main Author: Pierre Frugier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Materials Degradation
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41529-025-00657-9
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author Pierre Frugier
author_facet Pierre Frugier
author_sort Pierre Frugier
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Vitrified wastes from nuclear fuel reprocessing are destined for permanent disposal in deep geological layers. Water will be the vector for glass alteration and the potential migration of radioactive elements. Modeling glass corrosion requires describing the amorphous layer on the glass surface and its effect on alteration kinetics. The GRAAL model (Glass Reactivity Allowing for the Alteration Layer) provides a simple equation to implement this passivation in reactive transport codes. The MOS model (MOdel Simplified) quantifies the contribution of the diffusive reactive environment to the alteration of vitrified nuclear waste in deep geological disposal. This involves the consumption of silicon by the repository near-field, affecting the alteration rate. Both models account for diffusion laws, leading to a glass alteration rate that decreases with time. This document formalizes the comparison of these two alteration models, allowing anticipation of conditions likely to cause one or the other mechanism to drive glass alteration.
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spelling doaj-art-8d9e40e51891485f82e1a706bcf16aee2025-08-24T11:42:06ZengNature Portfolionpj Materials Degradation2397-21062025-08-01911510.1038/s41529-025-00657-9Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environmentPierre Frugier0CEA, DES, ISEC, DPME, Univ MontpellierAbstract Vitrified wastes from nuclear fuel reprocessing are destined for permanent disposal in deep geological layers. Water will be the vector for glass alteration and the potential migration of radioactive elements. Modeling glass corrosion requires describing the amorphous layer on the glass surface and its effect on alteration kinetics. The GRAAL model (Glass Reactivity Allowing for the Alteration Layer) provides a simple equation to implement this passivation in reactive transport codes. The MOS model (MOdel Simplified) quantifies the contribution of the diffusive reactive environment to the alteration of vitrified nuclear waste in deep geological disposal. This involves the consumption of silicon by the repository near-field, affecting the alteration rate. Both models account for diffusion laws, leading to a glass alteration rate that decreases with time. This document formalizes the comparison of these two alteration models, allowing anticipation of conditions likely to cause one or the other mechanism to drive glass alteration.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41529-025-00657-9
spellingShingle Pierre Frugier
Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
npj Materials Degradation
title Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
title_full Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
title_fullStr Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
title_full_unstemmed Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
title_short Mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
title_sort mechanistic insights on the alteration of nuclear waste glass from passivation to reactive diffusion in the environment
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41529-025-00657-9
work_keys_str_mv AT pierrefrugier mechanisticinsightsonthealterationofnuclearwasteglassfrompassivationtoreactivediffusionintheenvironment