Incorporation and distribution of rhenium in a borosilicate glass melt heat treated in a sealed ampoule

Abstract We investigated a mass balance of rhenium (used as a surrogate for technetium-99) in a borosilicate glass that was mixed with excess Re source (KReO4) beyond its solubility and heat treated in a vacuum-sealed fused silica ampoule. Distribution of Re in the bulk of the glass, in a salt phase formed on the melt surface, and in condensate material deposited on the ampoule wall was evaluated to understand the Re migration into different phases during the reaction between the molten glass and KReO4. The information gained from this study will contribute to an effort to understand the mechanism of technetium retention in, or escape from, glass melt during early stages of glass batch melting, which is a goal of the present series of studies.