The WRK (Waste Repository Korea bentonite) compacted bentonite medium has been considered as the appropriate buffer material in the Korean SNF (Spent nuclear fuel) repository site. In this study, hydraulic properties of the WRK compacted bentonite core (4.5 cm in diameter and 1.0 cm in length) as the buffer material were investigated in laboratory experiments. The porosity and the entry pressure of the water saturated core at different confining pressure conditions were measured. The average velocity of water flow in the WRK compacted bentonite core was calculated from results of the breakthrough curves of the CsI aqueous solution and the hydraulic conductivity of the core was also calculated from the continuous flow core experiments. Because various gases could be generated by continuous SNF fission, container corrosion and biochemical reactions in the repository site, the gas migration property in the WRK compacted bentonite core was also investigated in experiments. The gas permeability and the average of gas (H2) in the core at different water saturation conditions were measured. Laboratory experiments with the WRK Compacted bentonite core were performed under conditions simulating the DGR environment (confining pressure: 1.5- 20.0 MPa, injection pressure: 1.0-5.0 MPa, water saturation: 0-100%). The WRK Compacted bentonite core was saturated at various confining pressure conditions and the porosity ranged from 27.5% to 43.75% (average: 36.75%). The calculated hydraulic conductivity (K) of the core using experimental results was 8.69×10-11 cm/s. The gas permeability of the core when the water saturation 0~58 % was ranged of 19.81~3.43×10-16 m2, representing that the gas migration in the buffer depends directly on the water saturation degree of the buffer medium. The average gas velocity in the core at 58% of water saturation was 9.8×10-6 m/s, suggesting that the gas could migrate fast through the buffer medium in the SNF repository site. Identification of the hydraulic property for the buffer medium, acquired through these experimental measurements is very rare and is considered to have high academic values. Experimental results from this study were used as input parameter values for the numerical modeling to simulate the long-term gas migration in the buffer zone and to evaluate the feasibility of the buffer material, controlling the radionuclide-gas migration in the SNF repository site.

The disposing method of the low-intermediate-level radioactive waste, near-surface disposal facilities are generally used. This disposal method refers to a method of constructing a concrete structure on the surface of the ground, putting radioactive waste in it, and covering it with an engineered barrier to isolate human life. Among these, engineered barriers mean covering multiple layers of heterogeneous materials such as sand, clay, and gravel. Engineering barriers have the purpose of delaying the release of radioactive materials into the natural environment as much as possible, and maintaining the isolation of radioactive waste and human life for as long as possible. In this study, the design and construction method of the facility to demonstrate the performance of the engineered barrier that isolates the surface disposal facility from nature was described. In addition, the design and construction method of monitoring technology that can monitor the safety of engineered barriers by measuring information such as moisture, temperature, and slope safety in real time was also explained.

고분자의 용이한 가공성과 우수한 투명성, 그리고 합리적인 비용 효율로 인해 식품 포장 산업에서 금속이나 유리용기들을 고분자 기반의 포장 소재들로 대체하려는 경향이 전 세계적으로 널리 퍼지고 있다. Barrier 고분자들은 산소, 이산화탄소, 수증기 등 대기 가스에 대한 낮은 투과성을 나타내고 있어 식품 포장 산업 이용에 유용하다. 이러한 식품 포장 산업의 전반적인 추세와 함께, 산소에 민감한 주스, 착향 음료, 그리고 에너지 음료 등 새로운 식품 산업의 성장으로 인해 고성능의 barrier 특성, 특히 O2와 CO2에 대해 낮은 투과성을 지닌 고분자 포장 소재의 개발이 시급한 상황이다. 기존의 고분자에 기반한 barrier의 성능 향상은 새로운 식품 포장 산업에 급격한 변화를 줄 것이다. 본 총설에서는 (1) antiplasticization을 유도한 barrier 소재들, (2) antiplasticization과 crystallization을 사용한 barrier 성능 상승 효과, (3) 새로운 barrier 고분자들, (4) 나노합성 소재, (5) 혼합 고분자 등과 더불어, 차세대 포장 소재들의 특성 분석을 소개하고자 한다.