| Abstract Scope |
Borosilicate glasses are vital for immobilizing nuclear waste due to their unique processing and product traits. Traditionally, designing these glasses relied on trial-and-error, followed by empirical models for prediction. Yet, this method has drawbacks: it limits enhanced waste loadings and struggles to explain deviations from predictions. Transitioning beyond the trial-and-error approach is crucial, requiring a fundamental understanding of compositional and structural descriptors governing the processing, properties, and performance of the borosilicate-based nuclear waste glasses. This presentation explores structural design strategies, focusing on suppressing aluminosilicate crystallization and increasing sulfur solubility in the glassy matrix. This shift is essential for advancing nuclear waste glass design beyond empirical models, enabling greater efficiency and predictability in waste immobilization. |