Innovative materials for enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability in nuclear waste management

Abstract Nuclear waste management presents significant challenges due to its long-term environmental impact, high radioactivity, and extreme toxicity. To address these concerns, the development of innovative materials can offer promising solutions for improving environmental sustainability, safety, and durability in waste treatment and immobilization. This paper explores advanced materials – such as glass-ceramics, advanced ceramics, geopolymers, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and nanomaterials – that exhibit exceptional chemical stability, durability, and resistance to radiation-induced degradation. These materials have the potential to efficiently encapsulate high-level radioactive waste while overcoming the limitations of traditional methods like vitrification and cementation, which, though effective, struggle with long-term stability and containment capacity. The review highlights the superior thermal and chemical resilience, increased waste-loading capacities, and enhanced resistance to radiation damage provided by these cutting-edge materials. Furthermore, it examines the advantages, challenges, and future potential of these novel materials, emphasizing their role in enhancing the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of nuclear waste management.