Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 September 2012
Silicotitanate ion exchangers are potential materials for the removal ofradioactive Cs and Sr from tank wastes. In this paper the viability ofdirect thermal conversion of Cs-loaded silicotitanates to an acceptable highlevel waste form has been examined. Results show that in aqueous solutions,the Cs leach rates of crystalline silicotitanates (heat treated at 800°C)are 0.04, 0.18, 0.4 g/m2day for Cs loadings of 1, 5, and 20 wt%,respectively. Heating the Cs-loaded (up to 20 wt %) silicotitanates at orabove 900 °C for 1 hour further reduces the Cs leach rates to approximatelyzero (beyond the lppm detection limits). Moreover, Cs volatilization wasfound to be < 0.8 wt% at temperatures as high as 1000 °C. These resultssuggest that thermally converted silicotitanate ion exchangers exhibitexcellent chemical durability (comparable to or better than borosilicateglass) and thus, have great potential as an alternative waste form.