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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Zeolite formation in cement-based waste forms

Conference ·
OSTI ID:214899
; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States); and others

Blended cements which contain high levels of relatively unreactive material, such as fly ash from coal combustion, can be utilized to solidify and to immobilize highly alkaline waste solutions, such as the low level radioactive tank wastes stored at the Hanford reservation. These blended cements have significantly lower levels of calcium than portland cements. Adiabatic curing of these systems can generate high temperatures, allowing zeolite formation to take place from the fly ash, and potentially immobilizing toxic/radioactive species. The role of carbonate ions is considered in detail. Some model systems are considered, and it is shown that templating effects can be important in determining the phases formed in these waste forms. Preliminary investigations are reported of a route for immobilization of cationic species, such as Cs{sup +} and Sr{sup 2+}, initially contained on inorganic ion exchangers.

OSTI ID:
214899
Report Number(s):
CONF-950801--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English