Method for fluorination of uranium oxide

Patent · 01 January 1987

OSTI ID:866407

Petit, George S ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN

Highly pure uranium hexafluoride is made from uranium oxide and fluorine. The uranium oxide, which includes UO.sub.3, UO.sub.2, U.sub.3 O.sub.8 and mixtures thereof, is introduced together with a small amount of a fluorine-reactive substance, selected from alkali chlorides, silicon dioxide, silicic acid, ferric oxide, and bromine, into a constant volume reaction zone. Sufficient fluorine is charged into the zone at a temperature below approximately 0.degree. C. to provide an initial pressure of at least approximately 600 lbs/sq. in. at the ambient atmospheric temperature. The temperature is then allowed to rise in the reaction zone until reaction occurs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4704261
• OSTI ID: 866407
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/423/
600
acid
active substance
alkali
allowed
ambient
amount
approximately
atmospheric
atmospheric temperature
below
bromine
charged
chlorides
constant
degree
dioxide
ferric
ferric oxide
fluorination
fluorine
fluorine-reactive
hexafluoride
highly
highly pure
initial
introduced
lbs
method
mixtures
occurs
oxide
pressure
provide
pure
pure uranium
reaction
reaction occur
reaction occurs
reaction zone
rise
selected
silicic
silicic acid
silicon
silicon dioxide
sq
substance
sufficient
temperature
temperature below
uo
uranium
uranium hexafluoride
uranium oxide
volume
zone