CHARACTERIZATION OF URANIUM CORROSION PRODUCT COLLOIDS BY DYNAMIC LIGHT SCATTERING

摘要

Colloids generated during the corrosion ofrnunirradiated metallic uranium fuel in groundwater wererncharacterized to obtain attributes of the colloidsrnimportant for subsurface transport. Dynamic lightrnscattering was employed to determine the sizerndistribution and concentration of the colloids. Small,rnsource term colloids of UO2 were observed having arnbimodal size distribution with dimensions of 5 nm andrn100-200 nm. The colloid concentration ranged betweenrn0.1 to 8 mg/L for solutions with pH values of 7 to 9.rnThese uranium-based colloids may promote subsurfacerntransport of radionuclides.