Open AccessGas production due to alpha particle degradation of polyethylene and polyvinylchloride
Author(s) -
D.T. Reed,
J. C. Hoh,
J. Eméry,
Saburo Okajima,
Theodore R. Krause
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/303944
Subject(s) - polyethylene , materials science , hydrochloric acid , degradation (telecommunications) , waste management , radiolysis , carbon dioxide , radiochemistry , environmental science , chemistry , composite material , metallurgy , organic chemistry , telecommunications , aqueous solution , computer science , engineering
Alpha particle degradation experiments were performed on polyethylene (PE) and polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic samples typical of Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) transuranic (TRU) waste. This was done to evaluate the effects of sealing TRU waste during shipment. Experiments were conducted at three temperatures using low dose rates. Predominant products from both plastics were hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and various organic species, with the addition of hydrochloric acid from PVC. In all experiments, the total pressure decreased. Irradiation at 30 and 60 C and at various dose rates caused small changes for both plastics, but at 100 C coupled thermal-radiolytic effects included discoloration of the material as well as large differences in the gas phase composition