title: An Investigation on the Persistence of Uranium Hydride during Storage of Simulant Nuclear Waste Packages.
abstract: Synchrotron X-rays have been used to study the oxidation of uranium and uranium hydride when encapsulated in grout and stored in de-ionised water for 10 months. Periodic synchrotron X-ray tomography and X-ray powder diffraction have allowed measurement and identification of the arising corrosion products and the rates of corrosion. The oxidation rates of the uranium metal and uranium hydride were slower than empirically derived rates previously reported for each reactant in an anoxic water system, but without encapsulation in grout. This was attributed to the grout acting as a physical barrier limiting the access of oxidising species to the uranium surface. Uranium hydride was observed to persist throughout the 10 month storage period and industrial consequences of this observed persistence are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Stitt
authors.affiliation: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes, France.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Harker
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Hallam
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paraskevoulakos
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banos
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rennie
authors.affiliation: Sellafield Ltd, Seascale, Cumbria, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jowsey
authors.affiliation: Interface Analysis Centre, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D011208:Powders; D011850:Radioactive Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014501:Uranium / Q000032:analysis*; D018505:Waste Management; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D011850:Radioactive Waste; D014501:Uranium