Brannerite glass-ceramic composites have been suggested as suitable wasteform materials for high-actinide content wastes, but the formation of glass-ceramic composites containing stoichiometric uranium brannerite (UTi₂O₆) has not been well-studied. Uranium brannerite glass-ceramic composites were synthesised at by a one-pot cold-press and sinter route from the component oxides. As a comparison, two further samples were produced using an alkoxide-nitrate route. A range of compositions with varying molar ratios of uranium and titanium oxides (from 1:2 to 1:3.20) were synthesised, with a range of different heat treatments (1200°C for 12-48 hours, and 1250°C for 12 hours). All compositions were analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray near-edge spectroscopy, and found to contain UTi₂O₆ as the majority crystalline phase forming within a glass matrix of nominal stoichiometry Na₂AlBSi₆O₁₆. In compositions with UO₂:TiO₂ ratios of 1:2 and 1:2.28, particles of UO₂ were observed in the glass matrix, likely due to dissolution of TiO₂ in the glass phase; this was prevented by the addition of excess TiO₂. This work demonstrates the suitability of this system to produce highly durable wasteforms with excellent actinide waste loading, even with a simple one-pot process. Some grains of brannerite consist of a UO₂ particle encapsulated in a shell of UTi₂O₆, suggesting that brannerite crystallises around particles of UO₂ until either the UO₂ is fully depleted, or the kinetic barrier becomes too large for further diffusion to occur. We propose that the formation of brannerite within glass-ceramic composites at lower temperatures than that for pure ceramic brannerite is caused by an increase in the rate of diffusion of the reactants within the glass.

有人建议将Brannerite玻璃-陶瓷复合材料用作高act系元素含量废物的废料形式，但会形成含有化学计量的铀Brannerite（UTi ₂ O _6）的玻璃-陶瓷复合材料。）尚未得到充分研究。通过一锅式冷压和烧结路线，由组分氧化物合成了铀褐煤玻璃-陶瓷复合材料。作为比较，使用醇盐-硝酸盐路线生产了另外两个样品。合成了一系列具有不同摩尔比的铀和钛氧化物（从1：2至1：3.20）的组合物，并进行了一系列不同的热处理（1200°C持续12-48小时，1250°C持续12小时） ）。通过X射线衍射，扫描电子显微镜，能量色散X射线光谱和X射线近边缘光谱对所有成分进行了分析，结果发现在标称玻璃基质中形成的大多数晶相都含有UTi ₂ O ₆。化学计量比Na ₂ AlBSi ₆ O₁₆。在UO ₂：TiO ₂比为1：2和1：2.28的组合物中，在玻璃基质中观察到UO _2的颗粒，这可能是由于TiO ₂在玻璃相中的溶解。这可以通过添加过量的TiO _2来防止。这项工作证明了该系统适用于生产具有极佳act系元素废物负载的高度耐用的废料，即使采用简单的一锅法也是如此。褐铁矿的一些晶粒由包裹在UTi ₂ O ₆壳中的UO ₂颗粒组成，表明褐铁矿在UO ₂颗粒周围结晶，直到任一UO ₂完全耗尽，或动力学势垒变得太大而无法进一步扩散。我们提出，在玻璃陶瓷复合材料中，在比纯陶瓷褐铁矿更低的温度下，褐铁矿的形成是由于反应物在玻璃中的扩散速率增加而引起的。