Inventors:
Harry Babad - Richland WA
Denis M. Strachan - Richland WA
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC
International Classification:
G21F 916
Abstract:
Radioactive iodine, present as alkali metal iodides or iodates in an aqueous solution, is incorporated into an inert solid material for long-term storage by adding to the solution a stoichiometric amount with respect to the formation of a sodalite (3M. sub. 2 O. 3Al. sub. 2 O. sub. 3. 6SiO. sub. 2. 2MX, where M=alkali metal; X=I. sup. - or IO. sub. 3. sup. -) of an alkali metal, alumina and silica, stirring the solution to form a homogeneous mixture, drying the mixture to form a powder, compacting and sintering the compacted powder at 1073 to 1373 K (800. degree. to 1100. degree. C. ) for a time sufficient to form sodalite.