Stainless steel/glass–ceramic interactions under hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) conditions

The interactions between stainless steel (SS) and a glass–ceramic designed for immobilisation of the high-level nuclear waste generated at the Idaho chemical processing plant (ICPP) under hot isostatic pressing (HIPing) conditions (100 MPa in argon at 1200 °C) have been studied and subsequently the effect of such interactions on the chemical durability of the glass–ceramic waste form has been examined. The diffusion of Cr from SS (Cr depletion in SS) through the interaction layer and formation of crystalline Cr/Al oxides in glass dominate the overall interaction process. It appears that the depletion of Cr in SS may reduce the potential of SS as a barrier. However, such interactions have no significant impact on the glass–ceramic and the presence of the interaction layer does not seem to have any detrimental effect on the chemical durability of the glass–ceramic as a waste form.