Early age hydration and application of blended magnesium potassium phosphate cements for reduced corrosion of reactive metals

DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2021.106375

Authors: Laura J. Gardner (University of Sheffield) , Claire L. Corkhill (University of Sheffield) , Sam A. Walling (University of Sheffield) , James E. Vigor (University of Sheffield) , Claire A. Murray (Diamond Light Source) , Chiu C. Tang (Diamond Light Source) , John L. Provis (University of Sheffield) , Neil C. Hyatt (University of Sheffield)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Cement And Concrete Research , VOL 143

State: Published (Approved)
Published: May 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 10038

Abstract: Magnesium potassium phosphate cements (MKPC) were investigated to determine their efficacy towards retardation of reactive uranium metal corrosion. Optimised low-water content, fly ash (FA) and blast furnace slag (BFS) blended MKPC formulations were developed and their fluidity, hydration behaviour, strength and phase assemblage investigated. In-situ time resolved synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction was used to detail the early age (~60 h) phase assemblage development and hydration kinetics, where the inclusion of BFS was observed to delay the formation of struvite-K by ~14 h compared to FA addition (~2 h). All samples set within this period, suggesting the possible formation of a poorly crystalline binding phase prior to struvite-K crystallisation. Long-term corrosion trials using metallic uranium indicated that MKPC systems are capable of limiting uranium corrosion rates (reduced by half), when compared to a UK nuclear industry grout, which highlights their potential application radioactive waste immobilisation.

Journal Keywords: Chemically bonded ceramics; Calorimetry; Hydration; X-ray diffraction; Radioactive waste

Subject Areas: Materials, Chemistry


Instruments: I11-High Resolution Powder Diffraction

Discipline Tags:

Earth Sciences & Environment Nuclear Waste Material Sciences Radioactive Materials Chemistry

Technical Tags:

Diffraction X-ray Powder Diffraction