Hot Isostatic Pressing of Nuclear Waste Glasses

Borosilicate glass and glass-ceramic forms were prepared from simulated Savannah River Plant high-level nuclear waste by hot isostatic pressing. This process allows glass forms to be consolidated at temperatures as low as 850°C, removes viscosity constraints on frit selection, eliminates Cs volatilization, and permits waste loadings of 50 wt%. Actinide leach resistance of the glass form was improved by using redox control to induce formation of a minor uraninite crystalline phase.