Perovskite synthesis via complex sol–gel process to immobilize radioactive waste elements

Synroc (Synthetic Rocks) materials have been regarded as the second generation of high level waste forms in the world. It allows incorporating into their crystal structures almost all of the elements present in high-level radioactive waste. One of the components of Synroc-C is perovskite (CaTiO 3) which immobilize mainly fission products, but also allow immobilizing in his structure long-lived actinides such as plutonium (Pu). Perovskite phase has been fabricated by a sol-gel route. In the present work complex sol-gel process (CSGP Polish Patent PL 172618, 1997) and method of synthesis Me-titanates (Polish Patent PL 198039, 2001) were adapted to prepare of perovskite. Additions of 10 % molar Sr, Co, Cs and Nd into Ti-Ca-nitrate sols were carried out by CSGP. Gels obtained by evaporation of sols under reduced pressure were thermal treated according thermogravimetric (TG, DTA) analysis. Transformation of ascorbat-nitrate gels into doped orthorhombic perovskite phases was definitely lower (about 650 C) than those pure nitrate gels (approx. 700 C). All structures were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. Surrogates were homogeneously distributed into crystalline structure of perovskite. It means that elaborated process can be applied for synthesis Synroc materials and it might be competitive to vitrification process. © 2013 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary.