Title: Methods for gas-phase thermochromatographic separations of fission and activation products

Abstract

Methods are provided for characterizing samples containing chemical elements such as rare earth elements, actinides, and heavy transition metals by treating the samples to form volatile complexes of the elements (e.g., β-diketonate complexes or other organic ligand complexes of the elements) and then analyzing the complexes, for example, via gas-phase thermochromatography. Also provided are methods for separating and/or recovering such chemical elements. The methods produce less waste and can be performed more rapidly than conventional liquid extraction methods and can provide separated elements of high purity (e.g., 99.9999% purity).

Inventors:

Auxier, II, John D.; Hanson, Daniel V.; Marsh, Matthew L.; Hall, Howard L.

Issue Date:

2018-04-24

Research Org.:

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1532083

Patent Number(s):

9951398

Application Number:

14/807,463

Assignee:

University of Tennessee Research Foundation (Knoxville, TN)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

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C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS

C22B59/00 - Obtaining rare earth metals
C22B7/007 - {by acid leaching}

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N2030/025 - {Gas chromatography}
G01N30/12 - by evaporation

G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21F - PROTECTION AGAINST X-RADIATION, GAMMA RADIATION, CORPUSCULAR RADIATION OR PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT

G21F9/02 - Treating gases
G21F9/04 - Treating liquids
G21F9/28 - Treating solids

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DOE Contract Number:  

NA0001983

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2015-07-23

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; 45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE