Clays and Hydrosilicate Gels in Nuclear Fields, Volume 26

The aerogel-glass process (T. Woignier, J. Phalippou). Archeological glasses as modelling of the behaviour of buried nuclear waste glass (C. Macquet, J.H. Thomassin). Rate and mechanism of the reaction of silicates with cement pore fluids (D. Savage et al.). Early phyllosilicates formed by alteration of R7T7 glass in water at 250°C (J.L. Crovisier et al.). Retention of radionuclides in poorly organized phases in the near field of a HLW nuclear disposal facility (M. Creach, M.C. Magonthier). Neptunium (V and VI) exchange between silicate gels and aqueous solutions (J.M. Paulus et al.). Natural gels in the Yucca Mountain area, Nevada, USA (S.S. Levy). Experimental alteration of R7T7 glass in salt brines at 90°C and 150°C (S. Gin et al.). Dioctahedral smectite reactions at elevated temperatures: Effects of K-availability, Na/K ratio and ionic strength (G. Whitney). Mineralogy and kinetics of alteration of a mixed-layer kaolinite/smectite in nuclear waste disposal simulation experiment (Stripa site, Sweden) (A. Bouchet et al.). Conversion time from smectite to illite. A preliminary study (J. Linares et al.). Smectite-to-illite conversion in natural hydrothermal systems (A. Inoue et al.). The actual distribution of octahedral cations in 2:1 clay minerals: Results from clay synthesis (A. Decarreau et al.). Clay mineral transformations in static hydrothermal conditions within a simulated engineered barrier for nuclear waste disposal (G. Bruno et al.). Radiometric emanation method (REM) for the characterization of morphological changes in K-bentonite during its interaction with some organic compounds (V. Balek et al.). Saponitic clays from the Madrid basin: Accessory-minerals influence in hydrothermal reactivity (J. Cuevas et al.). Sorption and speciation of heavy metals on hydrous Fe and Mn oxides. From microscopic to macroscopic (A. Manceau et al.). Sorption mechanisms of three actinides on a clayey mineral (D. Stammose et al.). Sorption of major cations on pure and composite clayey materials (H. Pitsch et al.). Studies on the interactions of HDPY-vermiculite with radioiodine (J. Bors, A. Gorny).

Research on issues relating to nuclear waste storage plays an important role in contributing to finding good solutions to a problem that concerns mankind's future, predicting the durability of engineered barriers and determining the kinetics of alteration processes. The latter is now one of the vital questions in the scientific community concerned with clay minerals and hydrosilicate gels.

The 20 papers published in this volume bring together the experience of specialists on topics such as hydrosilicate gels and early mineral phase crystallization, clay mineral reactions and crystallochemistry of clay minerals. The contributions are of world-wide interest, and will help to stimulate future research and analysis in this field.