Studies on vitrification of cerium oxide in sodium iron phosphate glass

Homogeneous sodium iron phosphate glass (NaIPG) doped with cerium oxide (100-x)NaIPG -xCeO₂ (x=2.5 mole%) was prepared by melt quench method. The crystallographic nature, thermophysical properties were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and by dilatometry. The change in structural connectivity in the CeO₂ doped glass was analyzed using Raman spectroscopy and compared with that of undoped Iron Phosphate Glass. Iron phosphate glass (IPG) is developed as an alternate host matrix for vitrification of high level waste. IPG with nominal composition of Fe/P=0.67 is widely studied owing to its excellent chemical durability. In case of NaIPG, the presence of Na₂O increases the basicity of the glass and increases the Fe³⁺/Fe ratio, a desirable property in IPG. It is proposed to immobilize nuclear waste rich in lanthanides into the NaIPG matrix. Accordingly, the present study describes the immobilization of CeO₂ in NaIPG and its characterization. Based on the available data on NaIPGCe, NaIPG can be considered as a promising matrix for the immobilization of waste rich in lanthanide, i.e., CeO₂. Effect of doping on the chemical durability and specific heat of NaIPGCe are under progress