THE PREPARATION OF THORIUM METAL BY SODIUM AMALGAM REDUCTION OF THORIUM CHLORIDE: THE METALLEX PROCESS
A process, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, produced thorium meyal by the continuous reduction of anhydrous thorium tetrachloride with sodium amalgam on a scale up to 3.5 pounds per hour. The salt was vigorously agitated with an excess of sodium amalgam which was produced by the electrolysis of aqueous sodium hydroxide. The resulting slurry of thorium mercuride in mercury was washed free from impurities and reaction by-products with dilute HCl and water. A solid concentrate of the thorium mercuride was prepared by filter- pressing the dilute slurry. The remaining mercury was removed by vacuum- distillation, resulting in massive metal of about 0.8 of the theoretical thorium density. The metal was fabricated into rods by direct extrusion or by arc- melting followed by extrusion. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-001171
- OSTI ID:
- 4302899
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Sci. and Eng., Journal Name: Nuclear Sci. and Eng. Vol. Vol: 4
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
THE PREPARATION OF PLUTONIUM AMALGAM AND ITS REACTION WITH DILUTE HYDROCHLORIC ACID
PREPARATION OF FEED MATERIALS FOR ELECTROLYTIC PRODUCTION OF THORIUM METAL
Related Subjects
AGE
BODY
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DENSITY
DISTILLATION
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTROLYSIS
ENVIRONMENT
EXTRUSION
FABRICATION
FILTERS
FURNACES
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
IMPURITIES
LETHAL DOSE
LEUCOCYTES
LIVER
MELTING
MERCURY ALLOYS
METALS
MICE
MIXING
PERFORMANCE
PREPARATION
PRODUCTION
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION INJURIES
RADIOSENSITIVITY
RECOVERY
REDUCTION
REFINING
RODS
SLURRIES
SODIUM ALLOYS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SOLIDS
SOLUTIONS
SURVIVAL TIME
TEMPERATURE
THORIUM
THORIUM ALLOYS
THORIUM CHLORIDES
VACUUM
VARIATIONS
WATER
X RADIATION