Abstract In the suitability assessment of candidate materials as engineering barriers for a Deep Geological Repository (DGR), new studies concerned with zirconium silicate have been carried out. The zirconium silicate extracted from beach sand, was submitted to gamma irradiation in order to evaluate its structural stability and then functionalized with phytic acid (IP6) and measured its sorption capacity vis-a-vis uranium. The purified, irradiated and functionalized material was then characterized by several analytical techniques. The surface parameters including the surface area and density of surface sites were also determined. The results obtained from physic-chemical characterization showed that there were no significant changes in the structure of zirconium silicate after its gamma-irradiation. These results are consistent with those of sorption experiments. Uranium (VI) sorption capacity of zirconium silicate is increased in the presence of phytic acid and remained constant after its exposition to high doses of gamma-radiation (10 and 30 MGy). These results show that the IP6-functionalized zirconium silicate can be used as engineering barriers for a DGR.

中文翻译：

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U(VI) 吸附到 ZrSiO4 γ 辐照和植酸功能化

摘要 在候选材料作为深地质储库 (DGR) 工程障碍的适用性评估中，已经开展了有关硅酸锆的新研究。从海滩沙子中提取的硅酸锆进行伽马辐射以评估其结构稳定性，然后用植酸 (IP6) 进行功能化并测量其对铀的吸附能力。然后通过几种分析技术对纯化、辐照和功能化的材料进行表征。还确定了包括表面积和表面位点密度在内的表面参数。理化表征结果表明，硅酸锆经γ-辐照后，其结构没有发生显着变化。这些结果与吸附实验的结果一致。在植酸存在下，硅酸锆的铀 (VI) 吸附能力增加，并在暴露于高剂量的伽马辐射（10 和 30 MGy）后保持不变。这些结果表明 IP6 功能化硅酸锆可用作 DGR 的工程屏障。