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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

IMPROVED PROCESS OF PLUTONIUM CARRIER PRECIPITATION

Patent ·
OSTI ID:4232376

This patent relates to an improvement in the bismuth phosphate process for separating and recovering plutonium from neutron irradiated uranium, resulting in improved decontamination even without the use of scavenging precipitates in the by-product precipitation step and subsequently more complete recovery of the plutonium in the product precipitation step. This improvement is achieved by addition of fluomolybdic acid, or a water soluble fluomolybdate, such as the ammonium, sodium, or potassium salt thereof, to the aqueous nitric acid solution containing tetravalent plutonium ions and contaminating fission products, so as to establish a fluomolybdate ion concentration of about 0.05 M. The solution is then treated to form the bismuth phosphate plutonium carrying precipitate.

Research Organization:
Originating Research Org. not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-13-022167
Assignee:
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Patent Number(s):
US 2892676
OSTI ID:
4232376
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English