Isotope separation by photoselective dissociative electron capture

Patent · Tue Aug 29 00:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:863166

Stevens, Charles G. ^[1]

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1. Pleasanton, CA

A method of separating isotopes based on photoselective electron capture dissociation of molecules having an electron capture cross section dependence on the vibrational state of the molecule. A molecular isotope source material is irradiated to selectively excite those molecules containing a desired isotope to a predetermined vibrational state having associated therewith an electron capture energy region substantially non-overlapping with the electron capture energy ranges associated with the lowest vibration states of the molecules. The isotope source is also subjected to electrons having an energy corresponding to the non-overlapping electron capture region whereby the selectively excited molecules preferentially capture electrons and dissociate into negative ions and neutrals. The desired isotope may be in the negative ion product or in the neutral product depending upon the mechanism of dissociation of the particular isotope source used. The dissociation product enriched in the desired isotope is then separated from the reaction system by conventional means. Specifically, .sup.235 UF.sub.6 is separated from a UF.sub.6 mixture by selective excitation followed by dissociative electron capture into .sup.235 UF.sub.5 - and F.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
• Patent Number(s): 4,110,182
• OSTI ID: 863166
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/204/
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
235
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDE ISO
ACTINIDE NUCLEI
ALPHA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
ANIONS
CAPTURE
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTRON CAPTURE
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
EXCITATION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAVY NUCLEI
INTERNAL CONVERSION RADIOISOTOPES
IONS
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
ISOTOPES
MINUTES LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPONTANEOUS FISSION RADIOISOTOPES
URANIUM 235
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE
URANIUM ISOTOPES
URANIUM PENTAFLUORIDE
associated
associated therewith
based
capture
containing
conventional
conventional means
corresponding
dependence
depending
desired
desired isotope
dissociate
dissociation
dissociation product
dissociative
electron
electron capture
electrons
energy
energy range
energy ranges
enriched
excitation
excite
excited
excited molecules
followed
irradiated
isotope
isotope separation
isotopes
isotopes based
lowest
material
means
mechanism
method
mixture
molecular
molecule
molecules
molecules containing
negative
neutral
neutrals
non-overlapping
particular
particular isotope
photoselective
predetermined
preferentially
product
ranges
reaction
region
section
selective
selective electron
selective excitation
selectively
selectively excite
selectively excited
separated
separating
separating isotopes
separation
source
source material
specifically
subjected
substantially
therewith
vibration
vibrational
whereby