Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-25wd4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T10:50:00.723Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Zeolite - Salt Occlusion: A Potential Route for the Immobilisation of Iodine-129?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Neil C. Hyatt
Affiliation:
Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Dept. of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD., UK.
Joseph A. Hriljac
Affiliation:
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT., UK.
Alia Choudhry
Affiliation:
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT., UK.
Laura Malpass
Affiliation:
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT., UK.
Gareth P. Sheppard
Affiliation:
School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT., UK.
Ewan R. Maddrell
Affiliation:
BNFL Technology Centre, Sellafield, Seascale, Cumbria, CA20 1PG., UK.
Get access

Abstract

Reactions of zeolite Na-A with AgI, and the sodium, copper and lead forms of zeolites A, LTA, X and Y with NaI, have been examined as possible starting routes to the long term immobilisation of iodine-129. Heating the salts in air, at 500°C, with the sodium forms of the zeolites leads to the formation of occlusion products, where the iodide salt migrates into the zeolite pores. Detailed studies of the Na-A / 5AgI complex indicate it has a uniform distribution of Na, Si, Al, Ag and I, and is thermally stable to ca. 750°C, where there is a substantial weight loss as iodine is released. In situ powder X-ray diffraction studies have been used to monitor the occlusion reaction at 400°C, and show that the occlusion product decomposes to produce a single crystalline phase at 800°C prior to further decomposition at 850°C to a mixture of nepheline and elemental silver.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Barrer, R.M., Hydrothermal Chemistry of Zeolites, Academic Press (1982).Google Scholar
2. Taylor, P., A Review of Methods for Immobilizing Iodine-129 Arising from a Nuclear Fuel Recycle Plant, with Emphasis on Waste-Form Chemistry, Report AECL-10163 (1990).Google Scholar
3. Hirono, T., Kawana, A., and Yamada, T., J. Appl. Phys., 62, 1984 (1987).Google Scholar
4. Zhai, Q.Z. et al, Mat. Res. Bull., 35, 59 (2000).Google Scholar
5. Thompson, R.W. and Franklin, K.C., Microporous Materials, 22, 618 (1998).Google Scholar
6. Jarman, R.H., Melchior, M.T. and Vaughan, D.E.W., ACS Symp. Series 218, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 267 (1983).Google Scholar