Process for producing an aggregate suitable for inclusion into a radiation shielding product

A method for preparing a stabilized uranium silicide for use as an aggregate in concrete shielding materials, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a uranium hexafluoride;
• contacting the uranium hexafluoride with a silicon-containing material at a temperature in a range between about 1410.degree. C. to about 1750.degree. C. to form a stabilized uranium silicide.

A method for preparing a stabilized uranium silicide for use as an aggregate in concrete shielding materials, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a uranium hexafluoride;
• contacting the uranium hexafluoride with a silicon-containing material at a temperature in a range between about 1000.degree. C. to about 2000.degree. C. to form a stabilized uranium silicide, wherein the uranium hexafluoride is in a gaseous state and the silicon-containing material is in a gaseous state, and wherein contacting is performed by mixing the gaseous uranium hexafluoride and the gaseous silicon-containing material in a plasma torch apparatus to form the stabilized uranium hexafluoride.

A method for preparing a stabilized uranium silicide for use as an aggregate in concrete shielding materials, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a uranium hexafluoride;
• contacting the uranium hexafluoride with a silicon-containing material at a temperature in a range between about 1000.degree. C. to about 2000.degree. C. to form a stabilized uranium silicide, further comprising forming a stable layer of material around the uranium silicide.

A method for preparing a stabilized uranium silicide, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a gaseous uranium hexafluoride;
• providing a gaseous silicon-containing material;
• contacting the gaseous uranium hexafluoride and the gaseous silicon-containing material in a plasma torch to form a stabilized uranium silicide aggregate.

A method for preparing a radiation shielding product having a stabilized uranium silicide aggregate, the method comprising the steps of:

• contacting a uranium hexafluoride with a silicon-containing material at a high temperature to form a stabilized uranium silicide aggregate;
• combining the stabilized uranium silicide aggregate with a shielding material to form a radiation shielding material, wherein the uranium hexafluoride is in a gaseous state and the silicon-containing material is in a molten state, and wherein contacting the uranium hexafluoride with the silicon-containing material is performed by bubbling the uranium hexafluoride gas through the molten silicon-containing material.

A method for preparing a radiation shielding product having a stabilized uranium silicide aggregate, the method comprising the steps of:

• contacting a uranium hexafluoride with a silicon-containing material at a high temperature to form a stabilized uranium silicide aggregate;
• combining the stabilized uranium silicide aggregate with a shielding material to form a radiation shielding material, wherein the uranium hexafluoride is in a gaseous state and the silicon-containing material is in a gaseous state, and wherein the contacting step is performed by mixing the gaseous uranium hexafluoride and the gaseous silicon-containing material in a plasma torch apparatus to form the stabilized uranium hexafluoride.