Process and composition for the immobilization of radioactive and hazardous wastes in borosilicate glass

A process for immobilizing wastes comprising:

• combining a waste stream having one or more of radionuclides, hazardous elements, and hazardous components with fluorine and glass-forming components in proportion to achieve a mixture capable of forming a highly polymerized borosilicate glass consisting essentially of about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), including alkaline oxides and alkaline earth oxides, about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), including alumina, boric oxide, and ferric oxide, and about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), including silica, zirconia, titania, and phosphoric oxide, wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent, and fluorine is present in an amount between about 1 to about 3 weight percent;
• melting the mixture to form a melted glass with integrated waste;
• and
• solidifying the melted glass with integrated waste by cooling to form said highly polymerized borosilicate glass.

A borosilicate glass consisting essentially of:

• about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO);
• about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3);
• about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5);
• and
• wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent, and fluorine is present in an amount between about 1 to about 3 weight percent.

A borosilicate glass consisting essentially of:

• about 1 to about 1.3 mole parts of a combination of monovalent cation oxides (R2O) and divalent cation oxides (RO), including alkaline oxides and alkaline earth oxides;
• about 1 to about 1.4 mole parts trivalent cation oxides (R2O3), including alumina, boric oxide, and ferric oxide;
• about 1.2 to about 4.2 mole parts of a combination of tetravalent cation oxides (RO2) and pentavalent cation oxides (R2O5), including silica, zirconia, titania, and phosphoric oxide;
• and
• about 1 to about 3 weight percent fluorine;
• wherein SiO2 is present in an amount greater than 30 weight percent, B2O3 is present in an amount between 8.7 and 15.3 weight percent, Al2O3 is present in an amount between 7 and 15.1 weight percent, and CaO is present in an amount between 0.2 and 2.3 weight percent.