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Screening protocol for iodine-specific getters in YMP-related invert applications

Krumhansl, James L.; Chwirka, J B.

This document defines a standardized screening protocol for use in developing iodine ''getters'' for placement in the proposed YMP-repository invert. The work was funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), Office of Science and Technology International (S&T) during 2004-2005. First, the likely environmental conditions in the invert are reviewed as a basis for defining the thermal and geochemical regimes in which a getter must function. These considerations, then, served as the basis for laying out a hierarchy of materials screening tests (Table 1). An experimental design for carrying out these screening tests follows next. Finally, the latter half of the document develops methods for preparing test solutions with chemistries that relate to various aspects of the YMP-repository environment (or, at least to such representations as were available from program documents late in 2004). Throughout the document priority was given to defining procedures that would quickly screen out unpromising candidate materials with a minimum amount of labor. Hence, the proposed protocol relies on batch tests over relatively short times, and on a hierarchy of short pre-test conditioning steps. So as not to repeat the mistakes (and frustrations) encountered in the past (notably in preparing WIPP test brines) particular care was also given to developing standardized test solution recipes that could be prepared easily and reproducibly. This document is principally intended for use as a decision-making tool in evaluating and planning research activities. It is explicitly NOT a roadmap for qualifying getters for actual placement in the repository. That would require a comprehensive test plan and a substantial consensus building effort. This document is also not intended to provide a complete list of all the tests that individuals may wish to carry out. Various materials will have their own peculiar concerns that will call for additional specialized tests. In many cases additional research will also be needed to verify the exact nature of the chemical process responsible for scavenging the iodine from the test solutions.