Spectroscopic study of model matrix borosilicate glasses

Abstract

Synthesis and further study of the structure and various properties of the model Na-Cs and Na-Rb aluminoborosilicate glasses with calcium; strontium; and barium addition have been carried out at fixed ratio of modifying and network-forming cations as part of research in the safe immobilization of high-level radioactive waste. Vibrational spectroscopy techniques have been used to establish the high degree of polymerization and noticeable structural similarity of all synthesized glasses. It has been shown that increasing fraction of large cations in the total content of modifying cations leads to changes in distribution of modifying cations between silicate and borate structural units. The observed structural homogeneity; as well as the similarity of anionic structure; at different content and various combinations of alkali and alkaline-earth cations points at promising application of the glasses with such content as a basis for synthesis of borosilicate matrix materials for high-level radioactive waste disposal.