US4780239A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ion exchange resin for immobilizing radioactive waste
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1986-05-22
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Granted: 1988-10-25
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Expires: 2006-05-22
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a method of making an ion exchange material. A ceramic material is ion implanted with sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, or nitrogen, which is oxidized to sulfate, carboxylate or carbonate, phosphate, or nitrate, respectively, or the nitrogen is reduced to amine amide. Alternatively, a mixture of ceramic powder and a binder containing sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, or nitrogen is heated in a nonoxidizing atmosphere to a temperature up to 1000 DEG C. The sulfur is then oxidized to sulfate, the carbon to carboxylate or carbonate, phosphorus to phosphate, and nitrogen to nitrate, or the nitrogen is reduced to amine or amide. Also disclosed is an ion exchange material made by these methods and a method of treating acidic aqueous solutions containing dissolved radioactive materials by passing them through an ion exchange column containing the ion exchange material.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas S. Snyder
- 👤 Herbert A. Burgman
- 👤 Martin D. Nahemow
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:39
CPC Classifications
G; G21; G21F; G21F9/00; G21F9/04; G21F9/06; G21F9/12; B; B01; B01J; B01J41/00; B01J41/08; B01J41/10; B01J39/00; B01J39/02; B01J39/08; B01J39/09; B01J41/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of making an ion exchange material comprising: (1) implanting a ceramic material with an element selected from the group consisting of sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen mixtures thereof; (2) oxidizing said sulfur to sulfate, said carbon to carboxylate or carbonate, said phosphorus to phosphate, said nitrogen to nitrate, or reducing said nitrogen to amine or amide, wherein said element is implanted at an energy of at least about 50 KeV and at a concentration of at least about 10 12 moieties per cm 2 .
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of making an ion exchange material comprising: (1) implanting a ceramic material with an element selected from the group consisting of sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen mixtures thereof; (2) oxidizing said sulfur to sulfate, said carbon to carboxylate or carbonate, said phosphorus to phosphate, said nitrogen to nitrate, or reducing said nitrogen to amine or amide, wherein said element is implanted at an energy of at least about 50 KeV and at a concentration of at least about 10 12 moieties per cm 2 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said element is implanted by directing a beam containing said element at said ceramic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said element is implanted by coating said ceramic material with a film containing said element, and recoiling said element into said ceramic using a beam of an inert ion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of zirconia, hafnia, titania, alumina, silica, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic material is zirconia.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic material is silica.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said ceramic material has a particle size of about 400 to about 20 mesh.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said element is implanted at an energy of about 50 to about 150 KeV, a concentration of about 10 12 to about 10 17 moieties per cm 2 , and a residence time of about 60 to about 300 minutes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
An ion exchange material made according to the method of claim 1.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of making an ion exchange material comprising: (1) forming a mixture of a ceramic powder with a binder and a moiety which includes an element selected from the group consisting of sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and mixtures thereof; (2) heating said mixture in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature up to 1000° C., whereby said binder is driven off, said ceramic powder is sintered to form a solid shape, and ion exchange sites are trapped within a ceramic matrix; and (3) oxidizing or reducing said solid, as necessary, so that said sulfur is present as sulfate, said carbon is present as carboxylate or carbonate, said phosphorus is present as phosphate, and said nitrogen is present as amine or amide.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of making an ion exchange material comprising: (1) forming a mixture of a ceramic powder with a binder and a moiety which includes an element selected from the group consisting of sulfur, carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and mixtures thereof; (2) heating said mixture in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature up to 1000° C., whereby said binder is driven off, said ceramic powder is sintered to form a solid shape, and ion exchange sites are trapped within a ceramic matrix; and (3) oxidizing or reducing said solid, as necessary, so that said sulfur is present as sulfate, said carbon is present as carboxylate or carbonate, said phosphorus is present as phosphate, and said nitrogen is present as amine or amide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said ceramic material is selected from the group consisting of zirconia, hafnia, titania, alumina, silica, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said ceramic material is zirconia.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said ceramic material is silica.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said ceramic material has a particle size of about 400 to about 20 mesh.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
An ion exchange material made according to the method of claim 10.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-10-25 | 1992-04-25 | 1992-10-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-10-25 | 1996-04-25 | 1996-10-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-10-25 | 2000-04-25 | 2000-10-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |