METHOD FOR SEPARATING PROTACTINIUM, THORIUM AND URANIUM FROM NEUTRON IRRADIATED THORIUM

Patent · Mon Mar 16 00:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4101250

BS>One volume of a nitric acid solution of neutron-irradiated thorium containing 13 m/ HNO/sub 3/, 1.5 m/l Th nitrate, 0.5 m/l Al nitrate, 0.04 m/l F ions, and 0.003 m/l Hg ions and being 0.3N deficient in nitrate lons, is countercurrently extracted with 5 volumes of a solution consisting of 42 vol.% TBP and 58 vol.% saturated hydrocarbon. The organic phase thus obtained is washed with 1 volume of an aqueous 0.5 m/l aluminum nitrate solution, which is 0.3N deficient in nitrate ions and contains 0.003 m/l phosphate ions. The composition of the combined aqueous phases, containing palladium and fission products, is adjusted to 2.5 m/l aluminum nitrate, 1.3N nitrate ion deficiency, and 0.3 m/l chromate ion; the resultant coprecipitate of aluminum chromate and palladium is separated from the liquid containing the fission products. The precipitate can be stocked as a source of pure U/sup 233/; alternatively palladium can be extracted from it. The 5 volumes of the organic phase, containing thorium and uranium, are extracted with 6 volumes 0.2N aqueous nitric acid; the aqueous extract is washed out with 1 volume TBP extractant. The resulting aqueous phase contains thorium while the uranium is left in the organic phase. It can be recovered by extracting 6 volumes of this phase with 3 volumes 0.05M aqueous nitric acid and contacting the aqueous solution with a cation exchanger. (NPO)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-15-008914
• OSTI ID: 4101250
• Report Number(s): FR 1188528
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
• Country of Publication: France
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ALKANES
ALUMINUM NITRATES
ALUMINUM OXIDES
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CATIONS
CHROMATES
COUNTER CURRENT
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLUORIDES
HYDROCARBONS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
IONS
IRRADIATION
MERCURY
MERCURY COMPOUNDS
NEUTRONS
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID
PALLADIUM
PHOSPHATES
PROTACTINIUM
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TBP
THORIUM
THORIUM NITRATES
URANIUM
URANIUM 233
WATER