PNNL

Abstract

The overall objective of this project is to identify and successfully demonstrate a water-based polyceram system suitable for producing an environmentally stable waste form highly loaded with salt wastes. The backbone for this idea is the development of aqueous based sol-gel technology. Most interest in sol-gel synthesis of ceramics in recent years has concentrated on the hydrolysis of metal alkoxides in organic media, but the alternative sol-gel process in aqueous media may offer acceptable results without the need for hazardous precursors or waste products. To accomplish this, water micelle (like an emulsion) systems will be substituted for the organic based systems already identified. Preliminary tests show that emulsions such as Styrene/Butadiene and Acrylic latex are good candidates for the aqueous media. Both of these materials when mixed with a percentage of natural latex have been shown to effectively immobilize salt wastes with loadings over 10 wt%. The low cost, availability, and ease of preparation (low temperature of cure) of these products makes them strong contenders as a waste form. Techniques for improving both chemical and physical properties, such as adding cross-linking agents and fine-tuning the curing process, are currently in development at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories along with collaboration with staff from the University of Arizona.