Silicon Containing Patents (Class 588/14)
  • Patent number: 5613240
    Abstract: A method for immobilizing waste chloride salts containing radionuclides and hazardous nuclear material for permanent disposal starting with a substantially dry zeolite and sufficient glass to form leach resistant sodalite with occluded radionuclides and hazardous nuclear material. The zeolite and glass are heated to a temperature up to about 1000.degree. K. to convert the zeolite to sodalite and thereafter maintained at a pressure and temperature sufficient to form a sodalite product near theoretical density. Pressure is used on the formed sodalite to produce the required density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Michele A. Lewis, Candido Pereira
  • Patent number: 5591420
    Abstract: The invention is the new material, a ternary compound of cesium, silica, and titania, together with a method of making the ternary compound, cesium titanium silicate pollucite. More specifically, the invention is Cs.sub.2 Ti.sub.2 Si.sub.4 O.sub.13 pollucite which is a new crystalline phase representing a novel class of Ti-containing zeolites. Compositions contain relatively high Cs.sub.2 O and TiO.sub.2 loadings and are durable glass and ceramic materials. The amount of TiO.sub.2 and Cs.sub.2 that can be incorporated into these glasses and crystalline ceramics far exceeds the limits set for the borosilicate high level waste glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventor: Mari L. Balmer
  • Patent number: 5545797
    Abstract: A method of atomic scale fixation and immobilization of plutonium to provide a durable waste product. Plutonium is provided in the form of either PuO.sub.2 or Pu(NO.sub.3).sub.4 and is mixed with and SiO.sub.2. The resulting mixture is cold pressed and then heated under pressure to form (Zr,Pu)SiO.sub.4 as the waste product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: University of New Mexico
    Inventors: Rodney C. Ewing, Werner Lutze, William J. Weber
  • Patent number: 5463171
    Abstract: Objective of the present invention is to provide a preferable solidified body ensuring performance of artificial barrier in a solidifying process for incombustible miscellaneous solid waste and other wastes such as calcined ashes by preventing generation of hydrogen gas by a reaction of amphoteric metal included in the waste with solidifying materials.In order to suppress the reaction of the amphoteric metal with the solidifying materials, any one or arbitrary plurality of the following three means are provided in the solidifying materials;(1) A means for forming protection film on surface of the amphoteric metal,(2) A means for enhancing hydration reaction of cement,(3) A means for reducing basicity of the solidifying materials.In accordance with the present invention, a preferable solidified body can be obtained by a simple and easy method which does not necessitate separation and pre-treatment of the waste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nishi, Masami Matsuda, Kenji Noshita, Makoto Kikuchi, Tatsuo Izumida, Shin Tamata, Yoshimasa Kiuchi
  • Patent number: 5434333
    Abstract: A method for treating materials such as wastes for solidification to form a solid, substantially nonleachable product. Addition of reactive silica rather than ordinary silica to the material when bringing the initial molar ratio of its silica constituent to a desired ratio within a preselected range increases the solubility and retention of the materials in the solidified matrix. Materials include hazardous, radioactive, mixed, and heavy metal species. Amounts of other constituents of the material, in addition to its silica content are also added so that the molar ratio of each of these constituents is within the preselected ranges for the final solidified product. The mixture is then solidified by cement solidification or vitrification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Carol M. Jantzen, John B. Pickett, Hollis L. Martin
  • Patent number: 5340506
    Abstract: A method for immobilizing waste chloride salts containing radionuclides such as cesium and strontium and hazardous materials such as barium. A sodalite intermediate is prepared by mixing appropriate amounts of silica, alumina and sodium hydroxide with respect to sodalite and heating the mixture to form the sodalite intermediate and water. Heating is continued to drive off the water to form a water-free intermediate. The water-free intermediate is mixed with either waste salt or waste salt which has been contacted with zeolite to concentrate the radionuclides and hazardous material. The waste salt-intermediate mixture is then compacted and heated under conditions of heat and pressure to form sodalite with the waste salt, radionuclides and hazardous material trapped within the sodalite cage structure. This provides a final product having excellent leach resistant capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 23, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Tadafumi Koyama