The quantitative ion exchange separation of uranium from impurities

Technical Report · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:58062

Narayanan, U I; Mason, P B; Zebrowski, J P; Rocca, M; Frank, I W; Smith, M M; Johnson, K D; Orlowicz, G J; Dallmann, E

Two methods were tested for the quantitative separation of uranium from elemental impurities using commercially available resins. The sorption and elution behavior of uranium and the separation of it from a variety of other elements was studied. The first method utilized an anion exchange resin while the second method employed an extraction resin. The first method, the anion exchange of uranium (VI) in an acid chloride medium, was optimized and statistically tested for quantitative recovery of uranium. This procedure involved adsorption of uranium onto Blo-Rad AG 1-X8 or MP-1 ion exchange resins in 8 M HCl, separation of uncompleted or weakly complexed matrix ions with an 8 M HCI wash, and subsequent elution of uranium with 1 M HCl. Matrix ions more strongly adsorbed than uranium were left on the resin. Uranium recoveries with this procedure averaged greater than 99.9% with a standard deviation of 0.1%. In the second method, recovery of uranium on the extraction resin did not meet the criteria of this study and further examination was terminated.

• Research Organization: USDOE New Brunswick Lab., Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 58062
• Report Number(s): NBL--331; ON: DE95011953; NC: NONE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
40 CHEMISTRY
ION EXCHANGE
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
RESINS
SAFEGUARDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URANIUM