Simultaneous Separation of Pd, Rh, and Ru from Simulated Radwaste Using Tin as the Solvent Metal prior to Final Vitrification into Borosilicate Glass: An Attempt to Recover Wealth from Waste
Publication: Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25, Issue 3
Abstract
Platinum group metals (PGMs), namely, Ru, Rh, and Pd, were removed simultaneously from molten borosilicate glass containing simulated high-level waste (HLW), using Sn as the solvent metal. The metal and glass phases were separated from each other after the melting was completed. The metal and glass phases were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis; the composition of alloy phase was analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The percentage of recovery of the metal phase was 80%–87%. The metallic tin phase was found to contain PdSn4, Ru2Sn3, Ru3Sn7, and Pd0.15Rh0.15Ru0.70 intermetallic compounds, which crystallize in orthorhombic, tetragonal, cubic, and hexagonal structures, respectively. On dissolving the alloy in aqua regia, Ru3Sn7 and Pd0.15Rh0.15Ru0.70 were found to remain as an insoluble residue. The insoluble character of Ru3Sn7 and Pd0.15Rh0.15Ru0.70 affects the material balance of each element in the glass and metal alloy phases. The PGMs were separated to the metal alloy phase along with significant quantities of Fe, Te, Ni, and Mo, leaving behind Cs, Sr, and Zr in the glass phase. The recovery of PGMs has dual benefits; the removal of PGMs facilitates smooth vitrification of the waste by Joule heating. The other benefit is that of recycling PGMs (which are rare precious metals) from the waste.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Dr. Binaya Kumar Panigrahi, former Director, MC&MFCG, IGCAR Dr. N. Sivaraman, Director, MC&MFCG, Dr. V. Jayaraman, Associate Director, FMCG, and Dr. Rajesh Ganesan, Head of the Materials Chemistry Division, for their support and encouragement. Dr. R. Kumar, Head, ACSD and Dr. S. Vijayalakshmi, Head of the Analytical Chemistry Section/ACSD/MC and MFCG, IGCAR are duly acknowledged for extending their support and expertise for analyzing the alloy samples to determine the elemental composition of the metal buttons. We thank Dr. Manish Chandra, MC and MFCG for examining the metal and glass samples by SEM-EDX.
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Published In
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25 • Issue 3 • July 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 20, 2020
Accepted: Mar 1, 2021
Published online: May 12, 2021
Published in print: Jul 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Oct 12, 2021
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