Abstract
This PhD thesis deals with the long-term behavior of the French nuclear glasses R7T7. An experiment plan (based on 27 glass compositions) is developed for studying the effect of glass composition on the residual rate of alteration. The impact of Mg-phase precipitation on glass alteration is also studied and several modelling exercises are performed. There is one order of magnitude between the different measurements (rate or pH…) associated with the different glass compositions. The statistical treatment of these measurements results in predictive equations and several observable trends are valid for all materials with a composition complying with the experiment plan conditions. The effect of Si, Na, B and Al on alteration (.i.e, gel and secondary phase's formation, pH) is confirmed, the influence of Zn, Zr and Ni-Co is evidenced. The role of Cr has to be clarified. Experiments show that glass alteration rate in underground water, which contains high level of Ca and Mg, is one order of magnitude higher than in the case of pure water. The glass composition plays the same role for the alteration in the two types of solution. During alteration, the late addition of Mg introduces a time lag in the resumption response because silicon is first provided from partial dissolution of the previously-formed alteration gel. The nucleation process does not limit Mg-silicate precipitation whereas a pH above 8-8.5 is necessary for Mg-silicate precipitation. The glass alteration rate can be a limiting factor if the quantity of Mg supplied to the reaction is enough. The Mg silicate phase seems to have systematically a molar ratio Mg/Si between 0.2 and 0.4. It is also shown that the air tightness of the reactor influences the rate of dissolution of CO2 in the solution leading to a decrease of pH. Finally, modelling exercises with GRAAL show promising results. Such modelling is required in order to extend the prediction of the long-term alteration behavior to different glass compositions.