The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 11, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 19, 2010
Tina M. Nenoff, Sandia Park, NM (US);
James L. Krumhansl, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Terry J. Garino, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Nathan W. Ockwig, Spicer, NM (US);
Tina M. Nenoff, Sandia Park, NM (US);
James L. Krumhansl, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Terry J. Garino, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Nathan W. Ockwig, Spicer, NM (US);
Sandia Corporation, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Abstract
Materials and methods of making low-sintering-temperature glass waste forms that sequester radioactive iodine in a strong and durable structure. First, the iodine is captured by an adsorbant, which forms an iodine-loaded material, e.g., AgI, AgI-zeolite, AgI-mordenite, Ag-silica aerogel, ZnI, CuI, or BiOI. Next, particles of the iodine-loaded material are mixed with powdered frits of low-sintering-temperature glasses (comprising various oxides of Si, B, Bi, Pb, and Zn), and then sintered at a relatively low temperature, ranging from 425° C. to 550° C. The sintering converts the mixed powders into a solid block of a glassy waste form, having low iodine leaching rates. The vitrified glassy waste form can contain as much as 60 wt % AgI. A preferred glass, having a sintering temperature of 500° C. (below the silver iodide sublimation temperature of 500° C.) was identified that contains oxides of boron, bismuth, and zinc, while containing essentially no lead or silicon.