A high energy x-ray and neutron scattering study of iron phosphate glasses containing uranium

Abstract

The atomic structure of iron phosphate glasses containing uranium has been studied by complementary neutron and x-ray scattering techniques. By combining x-ray and neutron structure factors, detailed information about different pair interactions has been obtained. Most of the basic structural features such as coordination numbers and O–O and P–O distances in uranium containing glasses are the same as those in the base glass of batch composition 40Fe2O3–60P2O5 (mol %). However, the Fe–O distances change slightly with the addition of uranium. The observed structural parameters support a structural model in which the waste elements occupy voids in the Fe–O–P network, hence, not altering the basic structure of the parent iron phosphate glass.