Description:
Reference #: 1697
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for Microwave Process to Prepare Crystalline Anhydrous Monazite-Type Materials.
Background:
Rhabdophane and Monazite are naturally occurring minerals that contain varying amounts of different lanthanides and in some cases thorium and uranium. Rhabdophane, a hydrated low temperature form, can be converted to Monazite via high temperature ~1000 °C heat treatment, which proceeds via several stages of dehydration prior to the structure transition. Monazite has applications in nuclear waste forms due to its high radiation resistance and ability to contain divalent, trivalent and tetravalent radionuclides, as well as for optical applications when the appropriate rare earth elements are present in the Monazite structure.
Invention Description:
Under specific microwave and/or hydrothermal conditions, it is possible to synthesize pure rhabdophane or pure monazite at temperatures lower than currently believed possible.
Potential Applications:
This process can be utilized as a lower temperature route to prepare diverse monazite based nuclear waste forms or in another application, create optically active materials.
Advantages and Benefits:
It alleviates the need to heat Rhabdophane to over 1000C to transform the Rhabdophane to Monazite or to prepare Monazite directly via solid-state reactions at over 1000C. This process is scalable, efficient, and effective.