This article offers an overview of the Yucca Mountain Repository Program's long-term program to develop a basic understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of radionuclide release and a quantification of the release as repository conditions evolve over time. Specifically, the research program addresses four critical areas: (a) SNF dissolution mechanisms and rates; (b) formation and properties of U{sup 6+}-secondary phases; (c) waste form-waste package interactions in the near-field; and (d) integration of in-package chemical and physical processes.

Citation: Peters, M.T., Ewing, R.C. United States. Yucca Mountain Project. A Science-Based Approach to Understanding Waste Form Durability in Open and Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycles. Washington, D.C.: Department of Energy, 2006.

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