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.