Competition behaviour of metal uptake in cementitious systems: An XRD and EXAFS investigation of Nd- and Zn-loaded 11 Å tobermorite

• First study on competition behaviour of metal uptake in cementitious systems.
• Nd environment remains unchanged in the presence and absence of Zn.
• The Nd environment consists of ∼7–8 O at 2.42 Å, ∼7–8 Si at 3.7 Å and ∼5–6 Ca at 3.8 Å.
• Zn data exhibit distinct differences in the presence and absence of coabsorbing Nd.

Cement-based materials play an important role in multi-barrier concepts developed worldwide for the safe disposal of hazardous and radioactive wastes. Cement is used to condition and stabilize the waste materials and to construct the engineered barrier systems (container, backfill and liner materials) of repositories for radioactive waste. In this study, bulk-X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) was used to investigate the uptake mechanism of Nd on the crystalline C–S–H phase 11 Å tobermorite in the presence of Zn (co-absorbing metal), and vice versa, as potential competitor under strongly alkaline conditions (pH = 12.5–13.3). The Zn and Nd concentration in all samples was 50,000 ppm, whereas the reaction times varied from 1 to 6 months.Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data of the Nd LIII-edge indicate that the local structural environment of Nd consists of ∼7–8 O atoms at 2.42 Å, ∼7–8 Si at ∼3.67 Å and ∼5–6 Ca at ∼3.8 Å, and that this environment remains unchanged in the presence and absence of Zn. In contrary, Zn K-edge EXAFS data exhibit distinct differences in the presence and absence of Nd as co-absorbing element. Data analysis indicates that Zn is tetrahedrally coordinated (∼4 O at ∼1.96 Å) and the obtained structural data in the simultaneous presence of Nd and Zn are consistent with the formation of mixed Zn surface complexes and Zn bound in the interlayer remaining in these positions also with prolonged reaction times (up to 6 months). However, without the co-absorbing element Nd, strong structural changes in the uptake mechanisms of Zn are observable, e.g., after 3 month reaction time Zn–Zn backscattering pairs can be observed. These findings suggest that Nd has an influence on the incorporation of Zn in the tobermorite structure. In addition, the results of this study indicate that competitive uptake of metal cations with similar sorption behaviour by C–S–H phases can take place, deserving further attention in future assessments of the safe disposal of radioactive wastes in cement-based repositories.