HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE IMMOBILIZATION WITH CERAMICS

Although borosilicate glass remains the waste form of choice for many countries with nuclear waste, there has been a substantial effort to develop alternative ceramic nuclear waste forms. The alternative waste forms may be single or polyphase ceramics with several barriers against the release of radionuclides. Principal ceramic nuclear waste forms include: Synroc; tailored ceramics; TiO2-matrix ceramics; glass ceramics; monazite; and FUETAP concrete. In addition, there are a number of 'novel' ceramic waste forms which have been developed to only the most preliminary stages, and there are several multi-barrier strategies which encapsulate one ceramic waste form in another. Finally, in recent years, spent fuel has become an important waste form. This paper will briefly describe the types of ceramic waste forms that have been developed and review the advantages and disadvantages of ceramic nuclear waste forms.