Containing nuclear waste via chemical polymerization
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorsJames M. Pope, Susan Wood, Don E. Harrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a method of immobilizing nuclear waste in glass. A composition is prepared of 60 to 100% of a hydrolyzed glass-forming silicon compound and up to about 40% of a glass-forming aluminum compound. About 1 to about 50% liquid nuclear waste and up to about 10% solid nuclear waste is mixed into the composition. The composition is heated at about 200.degree. to about 500.degree. C. to drive off water and organics, with the resulting vitreous product totally containing the nuclear waste. Finally, this product can be sintered at about 800.degree. to about 900.degree. C. to reduce porosity, or warm pressed into block form.
Claims9
A method of immobilizing nuclear waste comprising:
- (A) preparing a composition which comprises:
- (1) about 60% to about 100% by weight, calculated as SiO.sub.2, of a hydrolyzed silicon compound having the general formula SiR.sub.m (OR').sub.n X.sub.p or Si(OSiR).sub.4 where each R is independently selected from alkyl to C.sub.10 and alkenyl to C.sub.10, each R' is independently selected from R and aryl, each X is independently selected from chlorine and bromine, m is 0 to 3, n is 0 to 4, p is 0 to 1, and m+n+p equals 4;
- (2) up to about 40% by weight, calculated as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, of an aluminum compound having the general formula AlR.sub.q '(OR).sub.r X.sub.s or Mg(Al(OR).sub.4).sub.2, where each R is independently selected from alkyl to C.sub.10 and alkenyl to C.sub.10, each R' is independently selected from R or aryl, q is 0 to 3, r is 0 to 3, s is 0 to 1, and q+r+s equals 3;
- (B) mixing 1 to about 50%, based on total weight, of said nuclear waste in liquid form into said composition;
- (C) mixing up to about 10%, based on total weight, of said nuclear waste in solid form into said composition;
- and
- (D) heating said composition containing said nuclear waste at about 200.degree. to about 500.degree. C. to drive off water and organics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.