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Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Production of Synthetic Nuclear Melt Glass
Published on: January 4, 2016
Lead-iron phosphate glass: a stable storage medium for high-level nuclear waste
Abstract:
Results are presented which show that lead-iron phosphate glasses are a promising new waste form for the safe immobilization of both high-level defense and high-level commercial radioactive waste. Relative to the borosilicate nuclear waste glasses that are currently the "reference" waste form for the long-term disposal of nuclear waste, lead-iron phosphate glasses have several distinct advantages: (i) an aqueous corrosion rate that is about 1000 times lower, (ii) a processing temperature that is 100 degrees to 250 degrees C lower, and (iii) a much lower melt viscosity in the temperature range from 800 degrees to 1000 degrees C. Most significantly, the lead-iron phosphate waste form can be processed using a technology similar to that developed for borosilicate nuclear waste glasses.
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