Preparation and Characterization of Pu and Hf Bearing Lanthanide Borosilicate and Alumino-borosilicate Glasses - 15667

Eight borosilicate glasses with LaBS and ABS compositions containing plutonium and/or hafnium as a plutonium surrogate were prepared in Pt ampoules (Pu-bearing) and alumina or Pt crucibles (Hf-bearing) and characterized by X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy, infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Hf-bearing LaBS glasses were found to be amorphous whereas Pu-bearing glasses contained trace of plutonium dioxide and britholite. Hf and Fe bearing ABS glasses contained minor spinel structure phase. As followed from optical and SEM studies Hf-bearing LaBS glasses were more homogeneous than Pu-bearing and ABS glasses. The structure of the anionic motif of the glasses investigated by IR and Raman spectroscopy is typical of the glasses with relatively low silica content. (authors)