Separation of uranium hexafluoride from plutonium hexafluoride by means of selective intercalation in graphite

Patent · Tue Jun 20 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6781899

Ebert, L B; DeLuca, J P

A method is disclosed for the selective separation and sequestering of plutonium from uranium which comprises contacting a gas stream containing uranium hexafluoride (at a partial pressure of 26 torr or less) and plutonium hexafluoride at any pressure with graphite. The PuF/sub 6/ is selectively intercalated into the graphite while UF/sub 6/ is left unreacted in the gas stream. Preferably, the contacting of UF/sub 6/ and PuF/sub 6/ with graphite is conducted in the presence of excess fluorine. In another embodiment the graphite is first reacted with a chemical oxidant. Such pretreatment of the graphite renders it inert to UF/sub 6/ intercalation at partial pressures over 26 torr, the pressure above which UF/sub 6/ normally intercalates with graphite. Such pretreatment will have less effect on PuF/sub 6/ intercalation into the prereacted graphite compound and therefore will permit the separation of UF/sub 6/--PuF/sub 6/ by differential intercalation into the prereacted graphite compound to be conducted at higher partial pressures of UF/sub 6/.

• Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4096231
• OSTI ID: 6781899
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050800 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Spent Fuels Reprocessing
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105* -- Separation Procedures
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
ADSORPTION
CARBON
CLATHRATES
ELEMENTS
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GRAPHITE
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
METALS
NONMETALS
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM FLUORIDES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE