Separation of hafnium from zirconium in sulfuric acid solutions using pressurized ion exchange
High-resolution pressurized ion exchange has been used successfully to study and separate hafnium and zirconium sulfate complexes by chromatographic elution from Dowex 50W-X8 (15 to 25 ..mu..m) resin with sulfuric acid solutions. Techniques were developed to continuously monitor the column effluents for zirconium and hafnium by reaction with fluorometric and colorimetric reagents. Since neither reagent was specific for either metal ion, peak patterns were initially identified by using the stable isotopes /sup 90/Zr and /sup 180/Hf as fingerprints of their elution position. Distribution ratios for both zirconium and hafnium decrease as the inverse fourth power of the sulfuric acid concentration below 2N and as the inverse second power at higher acid concentration. The hafnium-to-zirconium separation factor is approximately constant (approx. 8) over the 0.5 to 3N range. Under certain conditions, an unseparated fraction was observed that was not retained by the resin. The amount of this fraction which is thought to be a polymeric hydrolysis product appears to be a function of metal and sulfuric acid concentrations. Conditions are being sought to give the highest zirconium concentration and the lowest acid concentration that can be used as a feed material for commercial scale-up in the continuous annular chromatographic (CAC) unit without formation of the polymer.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 6870623
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-810203-5; TRN: 81-006193
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: AIME annual meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, 22 Feb 1981
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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BEHAVIOR OF ZIRCONIUM-95 AND NIOBIUM-95 IN DILUTE HYDROCHLORIC ACID TOWARD CATION EXCHANGE RESIN
Semiannual Progress Report on Chemistry for the Period July 1962 Through December 1962
Related Subjects
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
HAFNIUM
ION EXCHANGE CHROMATOGRAPHY
ZIRCONIUM
DESIGN
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
EQUIPMENT
EXTRACTION COLUMNS
RESINS
SULFURIC ACID
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
ELEMENTS
EXTRACTION APPARATUSES
FUNCTIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
METALS
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLYMERS
REFRACTORY METALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS
400105* - Separation Procedures