PLUTONIUM PURIFICATION PROCESS EMPLOYING THORIUM PYROPHOSPHATE CARRIER

Patent · Tue Apr 28 04:00:00 EDT 1959

OSTI ID:4228906

King, E L

The separation and purification of plutonium from the radioactive elements of lower atomic weight is described. The process of this invention comprises forming a 0.5 to 2 M aqueous acidffc solution containing plutonium fons in the tetravalent state and elements with which it is normally contaminated in neutron irradiated uranium, treating the solution with a double thorium compound and a soluble pyrophosphate compound (Na/sub 4/P/sub 2/O/sub 7/) whereby a carrier precipitate of thorium A method is presented of reducing neptunium and - trite is advantageous since it destroys any hydrazine f so that they can be removed from solutions in which they are contained is described. In the carrier precipitation process for the separation of plutonium from uranium and fission products including zirconium and columbium, the precipitated blsmuth phosphate carries some zirconium, columbium, and uranium impurities. According to the invention such impurities can be complexed and removed by dissolving the contaminated carrier precipitate in 10M nitric acid, followed by addition of fluosilicic acid to about 1M, diluting the solution to about 1M in nitric acid, and then adding phosphoric acid to re-precipitate bismuth phosphate carrying plutonium.

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-13-022162
• Assignee: U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
• Patent Number(s): US 2884305
• OSTI ID: 4228906
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACIDITY
ACIDS
AMINES
ATOMS
CARRIERS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICALS
CHEMISTRY
HYDROXIDES
HYDROXYLAMINE
IMPURITIES
IONS
PATENT
PHOSPHATES
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PYROPHOSPHATES
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOISOTOPES
RECOVERY
REDUCTION
REFINING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SODIUM PHOSPHATES
SOLUTIONS
THORIUM COMPOUNDS
THORIUM PHOSPHATES
WATER
WEIGHT