Scandium separation from tungsten crucibles :

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1088104· OSTI ID:1088104

Boyle, Timothy J.; Hess, Ryan Falcone; Neville, Michael Luke; Howard, Panit Clifton

The first step in an attempt to isolate Sco from a Wo crucible was explored by soaking the samples in a series of organic (HOAc) and inorganic (HCl, H2SO4, H3PO4, HNO3) acids. All samples, except the HOAc, yielded a powder. The weight loss suggests that HNO3 is the most efficient solvent; however, the powders were tentatively identified by PXRD and found to contain both W and Sc by-products. The higher weight loss may also indicate dissolution of the Wo crucible, which was further evidenced upon visual inspection of the crucible. The H3PO4 acid soak yielded the cleanest removal of Sc from the crucible. More work to understand the separation of the Sco from the Wo crucible is necessary but the acid routes appear to hold promise under not as of yet established criteria.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1088104
• Report Number(s): SAND2013-1371; 456399
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English