Direct reduction of /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ and /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ to metal

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5265230

Mullins, L J; Foxx, C L

The process for reducing 700 g /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ to metal is a standard procedure at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This process is based on research for reducing 200 g /sup 238/PuO/sub 2/ to metal. This report describes in detail the experiments and development of the 200-g process. The procedure uses calcium metal as the reducing agent in a molten CaCl/sub 2/ solvent system. The process to convert impure plutonia to high-purity metal by oxide reduction followed by electrorefining is also described.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5265230
• Report Number(s): LA-9073; ON: DE82009713; TRN: 82-013545
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
ELECTROREFINING
REDUCTION
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ELECTROLYSIS
LYSIS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PROCESSING
REFINING
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
360201* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Preparation & Fabrication