Solution-based approaches for making high-density sodalite waste forms to immobilize spent electrochemical salts

Three different solution-based approaches were taken to make sodalite minerals as a host for a mixed salt simulating the waste in the electrochemical separations process of nuclear fuel reprocessing. The methods used an aqueous solution of mixed chlorides (simulated waste) but the other reactants varied: (1) Al(OH)3 + NaOH + CS, (2) NaAlO2 + CS, and (3) Al2Si2O7 + NaOH, (CS = colloidal silica). The products were dried, ground, pressed into pellets, and fired at 650–950 °C. In some cases, either 5 or 10 mass% of a Si–Na–B oxide glass sintering aid was introduced at different stages in the process. Method (2) proved the most successful at producing high sodalite fractions (up to 100%) with minimal sintering aid additions and showed high consolidation potential (up to 91.4% of theoretical density) at reduced firing temperatures.