PRODUCTION OF URANIUM METAL FROM UF$sub 6$ BY DIRECT REDUCTION WITH LITHIUM OR SODIUM AMALGAM

Technical Report · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961

OSTI ID:4017397

Dean, O C

On a 3to 16 g of uranium per batch scale, at 25to 50 deg C, 86% of the UF/sub 6/ vapor carried in argon was reduced to UHg/sub 4/ by lithium amalgams containing 133 to 150% of the stoichiometric lithium requirement. The UHg/sub 4/ was decomposed in a vacuum retort to mercury and massive uranium metal. Two tentative flowsheets for continuous production of uranium metal by lithium amalgam reduction were proposed and demonstrated on a 10-g of uranium scale. In the sodium amalgam reduction of UF/sub 6/, the maximum conversion to UHg/sub 4/ was 40%. The uranium amalgam produced in one run from the reduction of UF/sub 6/ by lithium amalgam was processed through all stages to recover 13 g of massive metal, representing 81% of the uranium in the original UF/sub 6/. With the exception of mercury, the concentration of all impurities attributable to the method was lower than for electrolytic-grade metal. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-15-018130
• OSTI ID: 4017397
• Report Number(s): ORNL-2770
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ARGON
CHEMISTRY
IMPURITIES
LITHIUM
MERCURY ALLOYS
METALS
PRODUCTION
REDUCTION
SODIUM
TEMPERATURE
URANIUM
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
VAPORS