THE PREPARATION OF URANIUM DIOXIDE FROM A MOLTEN SALT SOLUTION OF URANYL CHLORIDE

Technical Report · Tue Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 1959

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4150904· OSTI ID:4150904

Lyon, W L; Voiland, E E

Uranium oxides in a molten eutectic mixture of NaClKCl were chlorinated by bubbling chlorine gas through the mixture. The reaction product, uranyl chloride. was soluble in the molten salt. Although UO/sub 2/ was the most common oxide used, the reaction was similar in the other oxides. Phosgene and aluminum chloride were also used as chlorinating agents. A dense, crystalline precipitate of pure UO/sub 2/ was prepared by the reduction of the uranyl chloride contained in the molten salt solution. The reduction was accomplished by contacting the salt solution with any of several metals, by reaction with hydrogen or dry ammonia gas, or by electrolysis. Several kilograms of UO/sub 2/ were prepared by electrolysis using graphite electrodes. The physical properties of the material made it potentially useful as a ceramic fuel material. The initial high particle density of the "as-produced" UO/sub 2/ was considered of great potential advantage for adapting this process to the refabrication of irradiated UO/sub 2/ into recycle fuel elements. (M.C.G.)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• DOE Contract Number: AT(45-1)-1350
• NSA Number: NSA-14-018890
• OSTI ID: 4150904
• Report Number(s): HW-62431
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
ALUMINUM CHLORIDES
AMMONIA
BEHAVIOR
BUBBLES
CARBONYLS
CERAMICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINATION
CHLORINE
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALS
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
FUEL ELEMENTS
FUSED SALTS
GASES
GRAPHITE
HUMIDITY
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
PHOSGENE
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
PRECIPITATION
PRODUCTION
REDUCTION
REPROCESSING
SALTS
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SOLUTIONS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANYL COMPOUNDS
USES