Through a Glass Darkly: How NMR Spectroscopy is Improving Nuclear Waste Disposal

by Pr Scott Kroeker, Department of Chemistry, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA in residence at Conditions Extrêmes et Matériaux: Haute Température et Irradiation Laboratory (CEMHTI), CNRS

"Effective disposal of nuclear waste relies on the design of extremely durable materials. Since atomic-level bonding is responsible for the necessary bulk properties, structural characterization is essential to materials development. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an ideal technique for “seeing” through solids and determining the molecular origins of desirable materials properties."