PREPARATION OF PURE AMERICIUM
Americium may be recovered with good yield and at high purity from a HNO/ sub 3/ feed material containing Am concentrations of 1 mg/l together with gross amounts of La, Fe, Pu, Al, and other elements by an ion exchange procedure. The Pu is removed by sorption onto an ion exchange resin (Dowex 1) in a 7M HNO/sub 3/ system. The transition from a HNO/sub 3/ system to an NH/sub 4/SCN system is then made by adjusting the HNO/sub 3/ solution to proper ionic strength, loading a cation exchanger resin (Dowex 50) and subsequently eluting the resin with 5M NH/ sub 4/SCN. By employing a dilute SCN wash prior to elution, a major part of the Fe impurity may be removed. Major separation of Am from impurities is obtained in the 5M NH/sub 4/SCN system by loading the thiocyanate complexes onto an anion exchange resin (Dowex 1), washing the column free of impurities including the rare earths with additional 5M NH/sub 4/SCN, and finally eluting the Am from the resin with 0.1M HCl. This eluate will contain all Am and Pu which were sorbed on the resin, plus some Al if it was orignally present, and small amounts of Fe. To obtain final purification, the 0.1M HCl eluate from the thiocyanate column is dripped into strong base. Amphoteric Al remains in solution while Am, Pu, and Fe are precipitated. This precipitate is washed and then dissolved in 7M HCl. The Pu and Fe are then fixed on anion exchange resin (Dowex 1) while the purified Am solution is obtained by washing the resin column with additional 7M HCl. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Dow Chemical Co. Rocky Flats Plant, Denver
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-008489
- OSTI ID:
- 4168930
- Report Number(s):
- RFP-130
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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