Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of encapsulating a radioactive object to render the object suitable for shipment and/or storage, and including the steps of:(a) preparing a plastic material;(b) causing the plastic material to react with a foaming agent;(c) generating a foaming plastic; and(d) encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic wherein the step of encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic includes the steps selected from the group consisting of:(i) placing a radioactive object in a container, encapsulating the container in the foaming plastic, and allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the container to form an impervious coating; and(ii) encapsulating the radioactive object in the foaming plastic, allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the radioactive object to form an impervious coating;wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:Polyol blendCrosslinkersWaterFire retardantViscosity suppressantSurfactantsCatalystsBlowing agentPolymeric Isocyanateand the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 2.4 lbs/ft3 Molded Core Density: 2.8 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 37 lbs/in2. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:INGREDIENT%Polyol blend34.78Crosslinkers1.45Water0.48Fire retardant3.60Viscosity suppressant1.09Surfactants0.72Catalysts0.14Blowing agent6.04Polymeric Isocyanate 51.70TOTAL100.00and the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 2.4 lbs/ft3 Molded Core Density: 2.8 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 37 lbs/in2. 3. A method of encapsulating a radioactive object to render the object suitable for shipment and/or storage, and including the steps of:(a) preparing a plastic material;(b) causing the plastic material to react with a foaming agent;(c) generating a foaming plastic; and(d) encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic, wherein the step of encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic includes the steps selected from the group consisting of:(i) placing a radioactive object in a container, encapsulating the container in the foaming plastic, and allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the container to form an impervious coating; and(ii) encapsulating the radioactive object in the foaming plastic, allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the radioactive object to form an impervious coating;wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:Polyol blendCrosslinkersWaterFire retardantViscosity suppressantSurfactantsCatalystsBlowing agentPolymeric Isocyanateand the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 6.3 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 135 lbs/in2. 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:INGREDIENT%Polyol blend34.45Crosslinkers3.83Water0.05Fire retardant3.83Viscosity suppressant1.41Surfactants0.72Catalysts0.12Blowing agent3.44Polymeric Isocyanate52.15TOTAL100.00and the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 6.3 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 135 lbs/in2. 5. A method of encapsulating a radioactive object to render the object suitable for shipment and/or storage, and including the steps of:(a) preparing a plastic material;(b) causing the plastic material to react with a foaming agent;(c) generating a foaming plastic; and(d) encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic, wherein the step of encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic includes the steps selected from the group consisting of:(i) placing a radioactive object in a container, encapsulating the container in the foaming plastic, and allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the container to form an impervious coating; and(ii) encapsulating the radioactive object in the foaming plastic, allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the radioactive object to form an impervious coating;wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:Polyol blendCrosslinkersWaterViscosity suppressantSurfactantsCatalystsBlowing agentPolymeric Isocyanateand the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 6.0 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 160 lbs/int. 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:INGREDIENT%Polyol blend39.38Crosslinkers1.65Water0.12Viscosity suppressant3.07Surfactants0.47Catalysts0.12Blowing agent2.36Polymeric Isocyanate 52.83TOTAL100.00and the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 6.0 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 160 lbs/in2. 7. A method of encapsulating a radioactive object to render the object suitable for shipment and/or storage, and including the steps of:(a) preparing a plastic material;(b) causing the plastic material to react with a foaming agent;(c) generating a foaming plastic; and(d) encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic, wherein the step of encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic includes the steps selected from the group consisting of:(i) placing a radioactive object in a container, encapsulating the container in the foaming plastic, and allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the container to form an impervious coating; and(ii) encapsulating the radioactive object in the foaming plastic, allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the radioactive object to form an impervious coating;wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:Polyol blendCrosslinkersWaterFire retardantViscosity suppressantSurfactantsCatalystsBlowing agentPolymeric Isocyanateand the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 6.5 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 150 lbs/in2. 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the foaming plastic comprises a rigid polyurethane foam with the composition comprising:INGREDIENT%Polyol blend33.50Crosslinkers4.78Water0.10Fire retardant4.31Viscosity suppressant0.57Surfactants0.38Catalysts1.82Blowing agent2.39Polymeric Isocyanate 52.15TOTAL100.00and the characteristics:Free Rise Core Density: 6.5 lbs/ft3 Compressive Strength: 150 lbs/in2. 9. A method of encapsulating a radioactive object to render the object suitable for shipment and/or storage, and including the steps of:(a) preparing a plastic material;(b) causing the plastic material to react with a foaming agent;(c) generating a foaming plastic; and(d) encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic, wherein the step of encapsulating the object in the foaming plastic includes the steps selected from the group consisting of:(i) placing a radioactive object in a container, encapsulating the container in the foaming plastic, and allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the container to form an impervious coating; and(ii) encapsulating the radioactive object in the foaming plastic, allowing the foaming plastic to solidify around the radioactive object to form an impervious coating;wherein the encapsulated object is coated with a polyurea elastomeric coating with the following composition:Polyetheramine blendAmine CrosslinkerMoisture ScavengerIsocyanate Prepolymerand the characteristics:Tensile Strength: 3000 lbs/in2 Tear Strength: 436 lbs/inElongation: 364%Shore Hardness: 70 Shore D. 10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the encapsulated object is coated with a polyuria elastomeric coating with the following composition:INGREDIENT%Polyetheramine blend 42.31Amine Crosslinker4.81Moisture Scavenger0.96Isocyanate Prepolymer51.92TOTAL100.00and the characteristics:Tensile Strength: 3000 lbs/in2 Tear Strength: 436 lbs/inElongation: 364%Shore Hardness: 70 Shore D.