Electrochemical process for dissolving plutonium dioxide and leaching plutonium from scrap or wastes

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6530050

Bray, L A; Ryan, J L; Wheelwright, E J

Dissolution of plutonium (Pu) from high-fired plutonium dioxide (PuO/sub 2/) and the leaching of Pu from scrap or wastes have often posed difficult process problems. Traditionally, dissolution has been accomplished using 12 M HNO/sub 3/-0.18 M HF at boiling temperatures. This work discusses the development of electrochemical solution of PuO/sub 2/ in compartmented cells. Small amounts of oxidation catalysts are used to carry electrons from the solid PuO/sub 2/ to the anode surface, producing PuO/sub 2//sup 2+/ in solution. PuO/sub 2/ that has been fired at temperatures to 1700/sup 0/C can be dissolved at 25/sup 0/C to concentrations exceeding 400 g Pu/L using the catalyzed electrochemical plutonium oxide dissolution (CEPOD) process. The silver ion is used as the redox catalyst.

• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6530050
• Report Number(s): CONF-861146-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Processing
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ANODES
BOILING POINTS
CATALYSTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DISSOLUTION
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
LEACHING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METALS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECOVERY
REDOX POTENTIAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILVER COMPOUNDS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES