Résumé
An acidic and oxidizing gel was formulated with a purely organic matrix, xanthan gum, at low concentrations (1 to 2 wt %). This polymer gel was investigated in various media (aqueous, acidic and ceric) by means of rheology : shear thinning behaviour, thixotropy, yield stress... Evidences of unexpected rheological properties in highly concentrated media show that xanthan is quite convenient for industrial projection of this type of gel on metallic walls in nuclear plants, notwithstanding its time-limited resistance to oxidation (about a few hours). Complexation mechanisms between ceric species and polar sites of the polymer led us to characterise acidic properties of our xanthan sample by potentiometric titration and 1H NMR techniques. The matrix was finally treated by ozonolysis to supress organic residues, as required to handle nuclear wastes. In acidic medium, ozonolysis of the gel was achieved succesfully while in acidic and ceric medium this process showed limited efficiency, needing further investigation to be clarified.