XRD Studies of Cement Embedding Matrices Containing Complexing Reagents From Decontamination Practices

The study of embedding matrix of radioactive waste is an important issue concerning the need to assure the radiological safety requirements for final disposal. The conditioning of the radioactive wastes by cementation process involves also a structural investigation by X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the samples prepared with cement and complexing agents at different concentration. This paper gives useful information about the influence of complexing agents related to damages produced in concrete microstructures. The experimental data obtained on samples kept in real repository environment for a period up to 15 years, offer structural information regarding the interaction between the different decontamination agents with the major components of the matrix.Copyright © 2013 by ASME