Method of separating thorium from plutonium

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:865087

Clifton, David G ^[1]; Blum, Thomas W ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A method of chemically separating plutonium from thorium. Plutonium and thorium to be separated are dissolved in an aqueous feed solution, preferably as the nitrate salts. The feed solution is acidified and sodium nitrite is added to the solution to adjust the valence of the plutonium to the +4 state. A chloride salt, preferably sodium chloride, is then added to the solution to induce formation of an anionic plutonium chloride complex. The anionic plutonium chloride complex and the thorium in solution are then separated by ion exchange on a strong base anion exchange column.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4459268
• OSTI ID: 865087
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
separating
thorium
plutonium
chemically
separated
dissolved
aqueous
feed
solution
preferably
nitrate
salts
acidified
sodium
nitrite
added
adjust
valence
chloride
salt
induce
formation
anionic
complex
exchange
strong
base
anion
column
exchange column
sodium chloride
feed solution
anion exchange
chloride salt
strong base
nitrate salts
sodium nitrite
aqueous feed
preferably sodium
chloride complex
separating plutonium
chemically separating
nitrate salt
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