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Preparation of Monophasic [NZP] Radiophases: Potential HostMatrices for the Immobilization of Reprocessed Commercial High-LevelWastes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 September 2012

H. T. Hawkins ,
B. E. Scheetzj  and
G. D. Guthrie Jr.
H. T. Hawkins
Affiliation:
Nuclear Materials Technology and Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
B. E. Scheetzj
Affiliation:
Intercollege Materials Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
G. D. Guthrie Jr.
Affiliation:
Earth and Environmental Sciences Divisions, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
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Abstract

The compositional flexibility of the sodium zirconium phosphate (NaZr2(PO4)3) structure has beenexploited in the design of monophasic radiophases capable of immobilizingthe most common cations associated with reprocessed high-level commercialwaste streams. Highly crystalline, monophasic members of the NaZr2(PO4)3 structural family ([NZP])have been prepared with conventional processing methods and equipment. Theseradiophases were tailored to accommodate 10–20 wt % modified PW-4b simulatedcalcine as single phases isostructural with NaZr2(PO4)3. To meet the challenge ofdesigning monophasic materials capable of accommodating the chemicalcomplexity of PW-4b, an ionic substitution scheme based on crystal chemicalprinciples was developed. The radiophases were prepared with inexpensive,inorganic precursors and a solution sol-gel method; these materials wereheat treated and/or sintered under a variety of conditions to determine theoptimum conditions for single phase [NZP] formation. X-ray powderdiffraction provided valuable information that was used to assess thesuitability of the ionic substitution model developed in this investigation.The results of this investigation suggest that monophasic [NZP] radiophasescapable of accommodating 10–20 wt % modified PW-4b simulated calcine may becontinuously processed with conventional ceramic processing methods andequipment. Moreover, the relatively low temperatures involved and thereproducibility of the process make [NZP] radiophases economicallyattractive hosts for radioactive and heavy metal industrial wastes.

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Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 465: Symposium II – Scienfific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XX , 1996 , 387
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

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