Application Of Silica Gel To Immobilise Iodine Waste By Low-Temperature Sintering

The disposal of radioactive iodine waste is a top priority for the nuclear industry. This work mainly studies the replacement of crystalline material (SiO2) in silicate-based material with amorphous material (silica gel) to immobilise iodine waste at low-sintering temperatures. The results show that under low-temperature sintering conditions, B2O3-Bi2O3-ZnO-silica gel is more suitable than B2O3-Bi2O3-ZnO-SiO2 for immobilising iodine waste because the former one has a higher amorphous index and density than the latter. This novel insight can improve the disposal of radioactive waste at low-sintering temperatures.