BOMB REDUCTION OF URANIUM AND URANIUM ALLOYS. Final Report on Problem No. 215-ML-54-7A, File Series 50

Technical Report · Thu Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 1944

OSTI ID:4169579

Derge, G; Martin, A E

Small-scale reductions of uranium halides and rare earth halides were carried oui with the view of developing techniques which could later be applied to the reduction of product halides. The project was discontinued before the latter reductions were attempted. A secondary object was to investigate the possibility of producing high purity uranium by bomb reductions. Successful reductions of UF/sub 4/, UCl/sub 3/, UCl/sub 4/, and UCl/sub 5/ by Ca, Ba, Sr, Li, and Mg and of CeCl/sub 3/, CeBr/sub 3/, and LaBr/sub 3/ by Ca and Ba were accomplished. The temperature of reaction between CeCl/sub 3/ and Ca was determined as 575 deg C. Comparisons were obtained among the reducing agents, the halides and the crucibles used in the reductions based upon yields of uranium and its purity. Calcium and magnesium were found to be the best allaround reducing agents. UF/sub 4/ and UCl/sub 3/ were the most satisfactory uranium halides. Uranium produced in MgO crucibles was higher in boron and sillcon than metal produced in beryllia crucibles, but on the other hand there was less contamination with Mg from MgO crucibles than with Be from BeO crucibles. The value of a controlled atmosphere furnace for bomb reductions was established as well as the use of vibration during small-scale reductions. A eutectic structure in uranium samples obtained by reductions of uranium halides in beryllia crucibles waB correlated with the beryllium content. The value of an addition of CaCl/sub 2/ to the charge in UF/sub 4/ reductions to lower the melting point of the slag and thus promote a better separation of slag and metal was demonstrated. (auth)

• Research Organization: Chicago. Univ. Metallurgical Lab.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-008395
• OSTI ID: 4169579
• Report Number(s): CT-2276
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Decl. Jan. 28, 1960. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
BARIUM
BERYLLIUM
BERYLLIUM OXIDES
CALCIUM
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CERIUM BROMIDES
CERIUM CHLORIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRUCIBLES
EUTECTICS
FURNACES
HALIDES
LANTHANUM BROMIDES
LITHIUM
MAGNESIUM
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
MELTING
METALS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
RARE EARTHS
REDUCTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLAGS
STRONTIUM
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM CHLORIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM TETRAFLUORIDE