• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.341-348
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• 2005

Bentonite has been considered as a candidate buffer material in the underground repository for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste because of its low permeability, high sorption capacity, self sealing characteristics, and durability in nature. In this study, the potential for separation of bentonite particles caused by the groundwater erosion was studied experimentally for a Korean Ca-bentonite under the relevant repository conditions. Results showed that bentonite particles can be generated at the bentonite/granite interface and mobilized by the water flow although the intrusion of bentonite into fracture by swelling pressure was observed to be small. Different processes of mobilization of theses colloids from the compacted bentonite block have been identified in this study. The concentration of particles eluted in water was increased as the flow rate increased. Thus the result reveals that the erosion of the bentonite surface due to the groundwater flow together with intrusion processes is the main mechanism that can mobilize bentonite colloids in the fracture of the granite.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

This study was intended to evaluate the water permeability and structure for calcium bentonite-sand mixtures to utilize calcium bentonite as a liner. This study conducted physico-chemical properties tests, compaction tests, permeability test and Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis (SEM) analysis. It was found the higher the ratio of calcium bentonite, the lower the dry density with coefficient of permeability, and the higher the optimum moisture content. In particular, SEM analysis was found the higher the ratio of calcium bentonite, the higher the area of the montmorillonite particles. In conclusion, the optimum coefficient of permeability that finds the landfill liner condition (must be less than $1{\times}10^{-7}cm/sec$) was obtained when the ratio of calcium bentonite was 40% or higher. These findings may improve the understanding of the calcium bentonite as a liner. Calcium bentonite shows a similar permeability to sodium bentonite 7% when mixed at 40% or more. Therefore, it is considered that calcium bentonite can be utilized as a liner.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.243-257
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• 2002

Ca-type and Na-type bentonites show the great difference of some physicochemical properties. Na exchanged bentonite is mainly used for the foundry and construction materials in domestic utilization. This study tries to identify in detail the differences of some physicochemical properties and thermal properties between Ca-type and Na-type bentonites. Also the adsorption behavior and interlayer expansion for the HDTMA (Hexadecyltrimethylammonium) exchanged and CP (Cetylprydinium) exchanged Ca-type and Na-type bentonites were compared. Na-type bentonite shows the strong alkaline property, high viscosity and swelling compared to Ca-type bentonite. However, two types are very similar for the cation exchange capacity and MB (Methylene Blue) adsorption. The decomposition of adsorbed and interlayer water of Na-type bentonite is caused in the lower temperature than Ca-type bentonite. And Ca-type bentonite shows the decomposition of structural water in the lower temperature than Na-type bentonite. The interlayer expansion of montmorillonite resulted to the intercalation of HDTMA and CP into bentonite is so strongly caused from 12～15 $\AA$ to $40\AA$ (basal spacing). HDTMA-bentonite is almost expanded to $37～38\AA$ when 200% CEC equivalent amount of HDTMA is added, and CP-bentonite is fullly expanded to 40 $\AA$ in the 140% CEC equivalent amount of CP It means that CP causes the stronger interlayer expansion of montmorillonite and easier adsorption than HDTMA. Adsorption behaviors of CP into bentonite is so stable and continuously sorbed in the proportion to the treatment of amount until 200% of the CEC equivalents. CP-bentonite shows the same adsorption behavior regardless of Ca-type or Na-type montmorillonite.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.21-32
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• 2006

Factors affecting the electrical properties of bentonite slurry were identified and electric conduction mechanism in slurry was examined. Electrical conductivity of bentonite and soil-bentonite slurry linearly increases with the bentonite content. Test result indicated that the change In electrical conductivity of slurry was mainly caused by dissolved cations from bentonite particles. The relationship between electrical conductivity and bentonite content was affected by the initial electrical conductivity of slurry solution and fine content in soil-bentonite mixture. Such influences were evaluated and the calibrated relationships were suggested. Based on the suggested relationship between electrical conductivity and bentonite content, bentonite content in various bentonite and soil-bentonite slurry can be quantitatively evaluated by using electrical conductivity measurement method.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.284-291
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• 2010

In the present design concept of a high-level waste repository, the bentonite and bentonite-sand mixture are considered as the buffer and backfill material. For the Kyungju bentonite which is a candidate material, the thermal conductivities of compacted bentonite and bentonite-sand mixture were measured. A correlation has been proposed to predict the thermal conductivity of the Kyungju bentonite and the bentonite-sand mixture as a function of the dry density, the water content and the sand fraction. The proposed correlation can predict the thermal conductivity with a difference less than 10% under the experimental conditions.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2004

A zeolitic bentonite, which exhibits whitish appearance and contains considerable amounts (nearly 〉 5%) of zeolites, frequently occurs as thin beds less than 1 m in Yeongil area. The bentonites are mostly found in closely association with zeolite beds in the Nuldaeri Tuff and Coal-bearing formations of the Janggi Croup. A discordant occurrence of the bentonite against the bedding plane is also locally found. Montmorillonite, the major mineral constituent of the bentonite, is mostly associated with clinoptilolite as a zeolite. However, instead of clinoptilolite, mordenite is sometimes included in the case of more silicic bentonite, and heulandite in the less silicic one. It is characteristic that the mordenite is accompanied by lots of opal-CT in the silicic bentonite. SEM observations characteristically indicate that these authigenic phases, especially the montmorillonite and zeolite, nearly coexist as mixtures not forming a fine-scale zoning. The zeolitic bentonite seems to be formed in the comparatively silicic pore fluid at the alkaline condition accompanying pH fluctuation Compared to the zeolite-free normal bentonite, the zeolitic types exhibit somewhat higher REE abundance. These chemical characteristics, together with modes of occurrences and authigenic mineral associations, may suggest that the zeolitic bentonite is not merely diagenetic products and a possible hydrothermal alteration could not be excluded in the bentonite genesis.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2004

Anion adsorption properties of organobentonites modified by two cationic polymers, hexadecyltrimmethylammonium (HDTMA) and cetylpyridinum (CP), were investigated. The organobentonites showed the significant expansion of basal spacing to 42.0 $\AA$ at room temperature. The adsorption experiments were conducted for the 0.2 g of organobentonites with 40 mL solutions of various concentrations of anions such as nitrate, sulfate and phosphate. As a result, the organobentonites showed excellent adsorption capacities for those anions whereas untreated bentonite showed very low adsorption capacity. Adsorption rate of HDTMA-bentonite was about 90% for 100 mg/L solutions of nitrate and phosphate, and that of CP-bentonite was 97% for 100 mg/L solution of nitrate. Adsorption behaviors were slightly different for the different organobentonites and anions. Both organobentonites showed relatively higher adsorption rate for nitrate and phosphate than sulfate. Therefore, these organobentonites showing high anion adsorption capacities can be used far the removal of deleterious anions in the treatment of environmental pollution.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2022

Bentonite is being considered as a candidate for buffer material in geological disposal systems for high-level radioactive wastes. In this study, the effect of cement-bentonite interactions on bentonite alteration was investigated by reviewing the literature on studies of cement-bentonite interactions. The major bentonite alteration by hyperalkaline fluids produced by the interaction of cementitious materials with groundwater includes cation exchange, montmorillonite dissolution, secondary mineral precipitation, and illitization. When the hyperalkaline leachate from the reaction of the cementitious material with the groundwater comes into contact with bentonite, montmorillonite, the main component of bentonite, is dissolved and a small amount of secondary minerals such as zeolite, calcium silicate hydrate, and calcite is produced. When montmorillonite is continuously dissolved, the physicochemical properties of bentonite may change, which may ultimately causes changes in bentonite performance as a buffer material such as adsorption capacity, swelling capacity, and hydraulic conductivity. In addition, the bentonite alteration is affected by various factors such as temperature, reaction period, pressure, composition of pore water, bentonite constituent minerals, chemical composition of montmorillonite, and types of interlayer cations. This study can be used as basic information for the long-term stability verification study of the buffer material in the geological disposal system for high-level radioactive wastes.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.193-213
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• 2020

A mathematical model to simulate more realistically the penetration of compacted bentonite buffer installed in the deposition hole into the discontinuity in the excavation damaged zone formed at the inner wall of the deposition hole in the geological repository for spent fuel is developed. In this model, the penetration of compacted bentonite is assumed to be the flow of Bingham fluid through the parallel planar rock fracture. The penetration of compacted bentonite is analyzed using the developed model. The results show that the maximum penetration depth of compacted bentonite into the rock fracture is proportioned to the swelling pressure of saturated compacted bentonite and the aperture of rock fracture. However, it is in inverse proportion to the yield strength of compacted bentonite. The viscosity of compacted bentonite dominates the penetration rate of compacted bentonite, but has no influence to the maximum penetration depth.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2009

The adsorption of iodide on untreated bentonite and bentonites modified with organic cation (i.e., hexadecylpyridinium chloride monohydrate ($HDP^+$)) was investigated, and the organobentonites were characterized using uptake measurements, ${\mu}$-XRD, and electrophoretic mobilities measurement. Uptake measurements indicate that bentonite has a high affinity for $HDP^+$. Our ${\mu}$-XRD study indicates that organobentonites significantly expanded in basal spacing and organic cations were substantially intercalated into the interlayer spaces of bentonite. The electrophoretic mobility indicates that organobentonite tht is modified with organic cations in excess of the CEC of bentonite is completely different from untreated bentonite in the surface charge distribution. We found significant differences in adsorption capacities of iodide depending on the bentonite properties as follows: iodide adsorption capacities were 439 mmol/kg for the bentonite modified with $HDP^+$ at an equivalent amount corresponding to 200% of the CEC of bentonite whereas no adsorption of iodide was observed for the untreated bentonite. The molecular environments of iodine adsorbed on organobentonites were further studied using I K-edge and $L_{III}$-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) of iodine spectra from organobentonites was similar to that of KI reference solution. Linear combination fitting of EXAFS data suggests the fraction of iodine reacted with the organic compound increased with increasing loading of the organic compound on organobentonites. In this study, we observed significant differences in the adsorption environments of iodide depending on the modified property of bentonite and suggest that an organobentonite has potential as reactive barrier material around a nuclear waste repository containing anionic radioactive iodide.