5. Coating processes using organic binders

5.1 Bitumen coating

• Principle

  Bitumen has been used to coat solid low-level radioactive waste. The coated waste is then contained in metal drums. The relatively low cost of bitumens and their physico-chemical and mechanical characteristics make them attractive for non-nuclear solid waste solidification processes. The principle of solidification consists in homogeneously dispersing granular waste in the bitumen matrix. The viscosity of bitumen, which is very high at room temperature, results in a relatively solid, impermeable material in which the pollutants contained in the waste are confined.

• Bitumen properties

  Bitumen is a complex mixture of high-molecular-weight...