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The Thermophysical Properties of TcO2

Technetium-99 is a highly radioactive isotope with a long half-life that is common in nuclear waste. It volatizes at a low temperature, which poses a significant challenge to the clean-up and containment processes. Due to difficulties in purifying technetium compounds, their thermophysical properties have not been measured or calculated. Here, first principle methods are used along with the quasi quasi-harmonic harmonic approximation to compute the Debye temperature, volumetric thermal expansion coefficient, bulk modulus, and heat capacity of rutile TcO2 for temperatures ranging from 0 to 1500 K and applied pressures ranging from 0 to 255 GPa. The computed atomic structures agree well with the results from diffraction measurements. The computed thermophysical properties are in the neighborhood of other rutile metal oxides and, in particular, are within approximately 10–13% of rutile ReO2, which is frequently used as a substitute for TcO2 in experimental studies.

Zhong, Hong↗

Materials Data on TcO2 by Materials Project

TcO2 is beta Vanadium nitride-like structured and crystallizes in the monoclinic P2_1/c space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Tc4+ is bonded to six O2- atoms to form a mixture of corner and edge-sharing TcO6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 40–50°. There are a spread of Tc–O bond distances ranging from 1.95–2.04 Å. There are two inequivalent O2- sites. In the first O2- site, O2- is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Tc4+ atoms. In the second O2- site, O2- is bonded in a distorted trigonal planar geometry to three equivalent Tc4+ atoms.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development of improved space sampling strategies for ocean chemical properties: Total carbon dioxide and dissolved nitrate

Large-scale ocean observing programs such as the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) and the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) today, must face the problem of designing an adequate sampling strategy. For ocean chemical variables, the goals and observing technologies are quite different from ocean physical variables (temperature, salinity, pressure). We have recently acquired data on the ocean CO2 properties on WOCE cruises P16c and P17c that are sufficiently dense to test for sampling redundancy. We use linear and quadratic interpolation methods on the sampled field to investigate what is the minimum number of samples required to define the deep ocean total inorganic carbon (TCO2) field within the limits of experimental accuracy (+/- 4 micromol/kg). Within the limits of current measurements, these lines were oversampled in the deep ocean. Should the precision of the measurement be improved, then a denser sampling pattern may be desirable in the future. This approach rationalizes the efficient use of resources for field work and for estimating gridded (TCO2) fields needed to constrain geochemical models.

Goyet, Catherine↗

Micrometer-sized Magnetite Synthesis using Fe(OH)2(s) as a Precursor for Technetium Sequestration from Liquid Nuclear Waste Streams

Systematic batch experiments under variable adjusted physicochemical conditions were conducted to explore optimization of micrometer-sized magnetite synthesis for Tc sequestration from radionuclide waste streams using Fe(OH)2(s) as the precursor. Extensive solid characterization using x-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods was performed to assess changes in particle morphology and size distribution, as well as Tc speciation and incorporation, in the produced mineral phases. The results show that the solution pH, temperature, and oxidation kinetics play key roles in the final mineral products. Micrometer-sized magnetite crystals (0.62-0.96 µm on average) with well-defined dodecahedral or octahedral structures were synthesized under near neutral (~pH 8) or alkaline (~pH13) conditions at 75 °C, respectively; whereas goethite dominated the end products at room temperature. An increase in pH at 75 °C improved Tc removal from 27% (near neutral pH) to 42% (alkaline pH), but the removal process remained inhibited by redox competitive Cr(VI) present in the waste streams. By adding additional Fe(II) to the system, Tc sequestration was dramatically improved to up to 87% without observable changes in the solid product. The sequestrated Tc existed as TcO2·2H2O and/or Tc(IV) incorporated into magnetite, where extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy showed that more Tc was incorporated into magnetite at elevated temperatures and pH conditions, with complete Tc(IV) incorporation into magnetite occurring under 75 °C-pH 13 conditions. Our results indicate that optimal micrometer-sized magnetite can be produced for Tc sequestration by reacting Fe(OH)2(s) with a waste stream simulant under elevated pH (~13) and temperature (75 °C) conditions. The incorporation of reduced Tc(IV) into stable micrometer-sized magnetite provides a viable supplemental immobilizing technology that may be used to improve nuclear waste treatment and disposal needs.

Wang, Guohui↗