Preparation of the first electrolytic plutonium and of uranium from fused chlorides

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2123562· OSTI ID:5526472

Kolodney, M

The production at Los Alamos of the first electrolytic plutonium is described. Because it was scarce, it was initially prepared on a 50 mg scale. The electrolyte consisted of PuCl/sub 3/ dissolved in a ternary eutectic o BaCl/sub 2/-KCl-NaCl and was operated at 660/sup 0/C. The technique involved the electrolysis of as little as 0.1 cm/sup 3/ of fused salt in a glass cell to produce liquid metal. Subsequently, a few successful 1g electrolyses were carried out with a maximum recovery of 75% of the plutonium content of the bath. It was found that the plutonium trichloride had to be dry and relatively low in oxygen and was, therefore, best prepared by dry methods. Electrolyses were performed under purified argon or hydrogen using tungsten or graphite anodes. The metallic product was pure and was used for early development of methods for cleaning, etching, and plating plutonium. Uranium was used for finding and testing techniques before plutonium became available. Acceptable deposits could not be obtained from UCl/sub 4/ dissolved in the ternary chloride eutectic, but were produced when UCl/sub 3/ was substituted for the tetrachloride. At about 650/sup 0/C, the uranium was deposited in the form of solid, dendriti crystals. These were, in general purer than the starting materials and were readily converted to massive metal.

• Research Organization: City College of the City, University of New York, New York, NY
• OSTI ID: 5526472
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 129:11; ISSN JESOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ANODES
ARGON
ATMOSPHERES
BARIUM CHLORIDES
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERES
CRYSTALS
DENDRITES
DEPOSITION
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EUTECTICS
FLUIDS
GASES
GRAPHITE
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
LIQUID METALS
LIQUIDS
LYSIS
METALS
MINERALS
MOLTEN SALTS
NONMETALS
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM CHLORIDES
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
RARE GASES
SALTS
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN
URANIUM
URANIUM CHLORIDES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS