SOLVENT EXTRACTION SEPARATION OF CERIUM AND YTTRIUM FROM OTHER RARE EARTH FISSION PRODUCTS

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (U.S.) Formerly J. Ind. Eng. Chem. Superseded by Chem. Technol.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie50620a029· OSTI ID:4021969

Butler, T A; Ketchen, E E

A batch solvent extraction process was developed to separate Y/sup 91/ and Ce/sup 144/ from the rare-earth fission product elements in HNO/sub 3/ solution by extraction intc a di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid organic phase. Yttrium is first extracted from a 1N HNO/sub 3/ solution into the organic phase. Cerium is oxidized by KMnO/sub 4/ to the tetravalent state prior to its removal by a second batch extraction. A Ce/sup 144/ product is recovered from the organic phase by back extraction as the trivalent ion into a H/sub 2/O/sub 2/-- HNO/sub 3/ aqueous phase. The remaining rare earths contain Pm/sup 147/ which can be separated and recovered by conventional ion exchange techniques. The process was demonstrated in a pilot plant run from which 129,000 curies of high- purity Ce/sup 144/ was recovered in good yield. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-15-024910
• OSTI ID: 4021969
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (U.S.) Formerly J. Ind. Eng. Chem. Superseded by Chem. Technol., Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (U.S.) Formerly J. Ind. Eng. Chem. Superseded by Chem. Technol. Vol. Vol: 53; ISSN IECHA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALKYL RADICALS
CERIUM
CERIUM 144
CHEMISTRY
DEHPA
ETHYL RADICALS
FISSION PRODUCTS
HEXYL RADICALS
HYDROGEN PEROXIDES
ION EXCHANGE
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS
NITRIC ACID
OXIDATION
PHOSPHORIC ACID
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
PROMETHIUM 147
RARE EARTHS
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUTIONS
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
YTTRIUM
YTTRIUM 91