Publications

A New Class of Octahedral Molecular Sieve Materials for the Selective Removal and Sequestration of {sup 90}Sr{sup 2+}

Nyman, M.; Nenoff, T.M.; Nenoff, T.M.

The structure of Na{sub 16}Nb{sub 12.8}Ti{sub 3.2}O{sub 44.8}(OH){sub 3.2} {center_dot} 8H{sub 2}O, a member of a new family of Sandia Octahedral Molecular Sieves (SOMS) having a Nb/Na/M{sup IV} (M= Ti, Zr) oxide framework and exchangeable Na and water in open channels, was determined from Synchrotron X-ray data. The SOMS phases are isostructural with variable M{sup IV}:Nb(1:50--1:4) ratios. The SOMS are extremely selective for sorption of divalent cations, particularly Sr{sup 2+}. The ion-exchanged SOMS undergo direct thermal conversion to a perovskite-type phase, indicating this is a promising new method for removal and sequestration of radioactive Sr-90 from mixed nuclear wastes.