PRECIPITATION OF CRYSTALLINE URANIUM AND THORIUM PEROXIDE: APPLICATIONS TO FUEL-ELEMENT OXIDES AND PURIFICATIONS
Departures from the usual precipitation method produced crystalline uranium peroxide in several forms. Three types of segregated needles were used in the preparation of three pellets for pellet-type elements. Densities of the pellets ranged from 93 to 97% of theoretical, depending on conditions of precipitation. Uranium peroxide was also precipitated with good yield at a low pH from sulfate solutions. The departures are the use of acidified hydrogen peroxide reagent, development of nuclei, achieving a pH sufficiently low (usually less than 1, and preferably between O.2 and O.8 for most work) for the first crop of crystals (about 95%), and controlling the initial pH. Altenatively, precipitation from homogeneous solution can be achieved by use of altered conditions. Single precipitations from ore concentrates provided good decontamination factors for iron, molybdenum, and sodium. Filterability ranged from fast to slow, depending on ore constituents. Iron, which can interfere with peroxide precipitations, can be rejected in substantial proportions from some ore concentrates by use of a quantity of nitric acid that stoichiometrically matches the uranium content. Results for uranium recovery and iron rejection ranged from good to fair, depending on the ore. Thorium peroxide was precipitated in crystalline form from homogeneous solution by an adaptation of the method for uranium. Recovery was almost 98%, and the crystals were about 0.5 mu long. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-007315
- OSTI ID:
- 4118528
- Report Number(s):
- CF-60-9-5
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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