Actinides borosilicate glasses

Meaker, T. F Peeler, D. K., Marra, J. C., Pareizs, J. M. Ramsey, W. G. 1997. Actinide solubility in lanthanide borosilicate glass for possible immobilization and disposition. Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 465, 1281-1286. 

Zhao, D., Li, L., Davis, L. L., Weber, W. J. Ewing, R. C. 2001. Gadolinium borosilicate glass-bonded Gd-silicate apatite A glass-ceramic nuclear waste form for actinides. Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 663, 199-206. 

The compound KNa3[(U02)2(Si40io)2](H20)4 was found as an alteration phase on actinide-bearing borosilicate glass that had been treated under mild hydrothermal conditions [14]. Na4[(U02)2(Si40io)2](H20)4 was later... 

Most vitrification processes use a borosilicate glass as matrix material with a content of fission products and actinides of 12 - 15 percent. These compositions have been found satisfactory. In Russia a phosphate glass matrix has been used. 

In summary, if a substantial majority of actinides are recycled (which will be necessary for us to tap the majority of the potential energy of uranium and thorium resources), then the waste stream from fission power will consist of a very small volume of fission products along with a small fraction of lost actinides. This waste can be readily immobilized in an insoluble material, such as borosilicate glass. The efficiency of actinide-separation technology will determine whether this waste inventory will decay to ore-level radiotoxicity in hundreds of years or thousands of years. Thus, improvements in separation technology may have a significant impact on the waste-isolation time and on public acceptance of fission power. 

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