A method for regulating the reaction temperature of a ceramic formulation process is provided comprising supplying a solution containing a monovalent alkali metal; mixing said solution with an oxide powder to create a binder; contacting said binder with bulk material to form a slurry; and allowing the slurry to cure. A highly crystalline waste form is also provided consisting of a binder containing potassium and waste substrate encapsulated by the binder.
The first chemically bonded phosphate ceramics (zinc phosphate dental cements) were developed over a century ago. However it has only been in the last 30 years that a new breed of materials has been discovered. This book brings together latest developments in this field including several novel ceramics, from Argonne and Brookhaven National Laboratories. Coupled with further advances in their use as biomaterials, these materials have found uses in diverse fields in recent years. Applications range from advanced structural materials to oil-well cements and stabilization and encapsulation of hazardous and radioactive waste. Such developments call a single source for their science and applications. This book provides the first comprehensive account to fulfil this need. · Providing a foundation into the latest developments in chemically bonded phosphate ceramics. · Explores new CBPC's with a wide range of practical applications. · Over 30 years worth of developments and applications in the field available in a single source
Throughout the Department of Energy (DOE) complex there are large inventories of homogeneous mixed waste solids, such as wastewater treatment residues, fly ashes, and sludges that contain relatively high concentrations (greater than 15% by weight) of salts. The inherent solubility of salts (e.g., nitrates, chlorides, and sulfates) makes traditional treatment of these waste streams difficult, expensive, and challenging. One alternative is low-temperature stabilization by chemically bonded phosphate ceramics (CBPCs). The process involves reacting magnesium oxide with monopotassium phosphate with the salt waste to produce a dense monolith. The ceramic makes a strong environmental barrier, and the metals are converted to insoluble, low-leaching phosphate salts. The process has been tested on a variety of surrogates and actual mixed waste streams, including soils, wastewater, flyashes, and crushed debris. It has also been demonstrated at scales ranging from 5 to 55 gallons. In some applications, the CBPC technology provides higher waste loadings and a more durable salt waste form than the baseline method of cementitious grouting. Waste form test specimens were subjected to a variety of performance tests. Results of waste form performance testing concluded that CBPC forms made with salt wastes meet or exceed both RCRA and recommended Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) low-level waste (LLW) disposal criteria. Application of a polymer coating to the CBPC may decrease the leaching of salt anions, but continued waste form evaluations are needed to fully assess the deteriorating effects of this leaching, if any, over time.
At Argonne National Laboratory, we have developed chemically Bonded phosphate ceramic (CBPC) technology to stabilize the U.S. Department of Energy's problem mixed waste streams, for which no other stabilization technology is suitable. In this technology, solid waste is mixed with MgO and reacted with aqueous solutions of phosphoric acid or acid phosphates at room temperature to form a slurry that sets in (almost equal to)2 h into a hard and dense ceramic waste form. Initial studies involved stabilizing the surrogate waste streams and then testing the waste forms for leaching of contaminants. After achieving satisfactory performance of the waste forms, we next incorporated actual waste streams at bench scale and produced waste forms that were then tested with the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). This presentation deals with stabilization of soil contaminated with Cd, Cr, Pb, Ag, Ba, and Hg, and of low-level radioactive wastewater. To enhance the contaminant levels in the soil, we further spiked the soil with additional amounts of Cd, Cr, Pb, and Hg. Both the soil and the wastewater were incorporated in the same waste form by stabilizing them with the CBPC process. The waste forms had a total waste loading of (almost equal to)77 wt.% and were dense with an open porosity of 2.7 vol.% and a density of 2.17 g/cm3. Compression strength was 4910 psi. The TCLP results showed excellent immobilization of all the RCRA metals, and radioactive contaminant levels were below the detection limit of 0.2 pCi/mL. Long-term leaching studies using the ANS 16.1 procedure showed that the retention of contaminants is excellent and comparable to or better than most of other stabilization processes. These results demonstrate that the CBPC process is a very superior process for treatment of low level mixed wastes; we therefore conclude that the CBPC process is well suited to the treatment of low-level mixed waste streams with high waste loading.
A method of stabilizing a waste in a chemically bonded phosphate ceramic (CBPC). The method consists of preparing a slurry including the waste, water, an oxide binder, and a phosphate binder. The slurry is then allowed to cure to a solid, hydrated CBPC matrix. Next, bound water within the solid, hydrated CBPC matrix is removed. Typically, the bound water is removed by applying heat to the cured CBPC matrix. Preferably, the quantity of heat applied to the cured CBPC matrix is sufficient to drive off water bound within the hydrated CBPC matrix, but not to volatalize other non-water components of the matrix, such as metals and radioactive components. Typically, a temperature range of between 100.degree. C.-200.degree. C. will be sufficient. In another embodiment of the invention wherein the waste and water have been mixed prior to the preparation of the slurry, a select amount of water may be evaporated from the waste and water mixture prior to preparation of the slurry. Another aspect of the invention is a direct anyhydrous CBPC fabrication method wherein water is removed from the slurry by heating and mixing the slurry while allowing the slurry to cure. Additional aspects of the invention are ceramic matrix waste forms prepared by the methods disclosed above.
In an effort to develop chemically bonded phosphate ceramics for mixed waste stabilization, a collaborative project to develop iron-phosphate based ceramics has been initiated between Argonne National Laboratory and the V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute in St. Petersburg, Russia. The starter powders are oxides of iron that are generated as inexpensive byproduct materials in the iron and steel industry. They contain iron oxides as a mixture of magnetite (Fe3O4) and haematite (Fe2O3). In this initial phase of this project, both of these compounds were investigated independently. Each was reacted with phosphoric acid solution to form iron phosphate ceramics. In the case of magnetite, the reaction was rapid. Adding ash as the waste component containing hazardous contaminants resulted in a dense and hard ceramic rich in glassy phase. On the other hand, the reaction of phosphoric acid solution with a mixture of haematite and ash waste contaminated with cesium and americium was too slow. Samples had to be molded under pressure. They were cured for 2-3 weeks and then hardened by heating at 350°C for 3 h. The resulting ceramics in both cases were subjected to physical tests for measurement of density, open porosity, compression strength, phase analyses using X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis, and leaching tests using toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and ANS 16.1 with 7 days of leaching. Using the preliminary information obtained from these tests, we evaluated these materials for stabilization of Department of Energy's mixed waste streams.
Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramics brings together the latest developments in chemically bonded phosphate ceramics (CBPCs), including several novel ceramics, from US Federal Laboratories such as Argonne, Oak Ridge, and Brookhaven National Laboratories, as well as Russian and Ukrainian nuclear institutes. Coupled with further advances in their use as biomaterials, these materials have found uses in diverse fields in recent years. Applications range from advanced structural materials to corrosion and fire protection coatings, oil-well cements, stabilization and encapsulation of hazardous and radioactive waste, nuclear radiation shielding materials, and products designed for safe storage of nuclear materials. Such developments call for a single source to cover their science and applications. This book is a unique and comprehensive source to fulfil that need. In the second edition, the author covers the latest developments in nuclear waste containment and introduces new products and applications in areas such as biomedical implants, cements and coatings used in oil-well and other petrochemical applications, and flame-retardant anti-corrosion coatings. - Explores the key applications of CBPCs including nuclear waste storage, oil-well cements, anticorrosion coatings and biomedical implants - Demystifies the chemistry, processes and production methods of CBPCs - Draws on 40 years of developments and applications in the field, including the latest developments from USA, Europe, Ukraine, Russia, China and India
