Radiation damage of a glass-bonded zeolite waste form using ion irradiation

Glass-bonded zeolite is being considered as a candidate ceramic waste form for storing radioactive isotopes separated from spent nuclear fuel in the electrorefining process. To determine the stability of glass-bonded zeolite under irradiation, transmission electron microscope samples were irradiated using high energy helium, lead, and krypton. The major crystalline phase of the waste form, which retains alkaline and alkaline earth fission products, loses its long range order under both helium and krypton irradiation. The dose at which the long range crystalline structure is lost is about 0.4 dpa for helium and 0.1 dpa for krypton. Because the damage from lead is localized in such a small region of the sample, damage could not be recognized even at a peak damage of 50 dpa. Because the crystalline phase loses its long range structure due to irradiation, the effect on retention capacity needs to be further evaluated