DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: PROCESS FOR SEPARATING PLUTONIUM FROM IMPURITIES

Abstract

A method is described for separating plutonium from aqueous solutions containing uranium. It has been found that if the plutonium is reduced to its 3+ valence state, and the uranium present is left in its higher valence state, then the differences in solubility between certain salts (e.g., oxalates) of the trivalent plutonium and the hexavalent uranium can be used to separate the metals. This selective reduction of plutonium is accomplished by adding iodide ion to the solution, since iodide possesses an oxidation potential sufficient to reduce plutonium but not sufficient to reduce uranium.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Originating Research Org. not identified
OSTI Identifier:
4333632
Patent Number(s):
2813004
Assignee:
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
NSA Number:
NSA-12-006982
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-58
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
PATENTS; IMPURITIES; IODIDES; IONS; OXALATES; OXIDATION; PATENT; PLUTONIUM; REDUCTION; SALTS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SOLUBILITY; SOLUTIONS; URANIUM; WATER

Citation Formats

Wahl, A C. PROCESS FOR SEPARATING PLUTONIUM FROM IMPURITIES. United States: N. p., 1957. Web.
Wahl, A C. PROCESS FOR SEPARATING PLUTONIUM FROM IMPURITIES. United States.
Wahl, A C. Tue . "PROCESS FOR SEPARATING PLUTONIUM FROM IMPURITIES". United States.
@article{osti_4333632,
title = {PROCESS FOR SEPARATING PLUTONIUM FROM IMPURITIES},
author = {Wahl, A C},
abstractNote = {A method is described for separating plutonium from aqueous solutions containing uranium. It has been found that if the plutonium is reduced to its 3+ valence state, and the uranium present is left in its higher valence state, then the differences in solubility between certain salts (e.g., oxalates) of the trivalent plutonium and the hexavalent uranium can be used to separate the metals. This selective reduction of plutonium is accomplished by adding iodide ion to the solution, since iodide possesses an oxidation potential sufficient to reduce plutonium but not sufficient to reduce uranium.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1957},
month = {11}
}

Patent:
Search for the full text at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Note: You will be redirected to the USPTO site, which may require a pop-up blocker to be deactivated to view the patent. If so, you will need to manually turn off your browser's pop-up blocker, typically found within the browser settings. (See DOE Patents FAQs for more information.)

Save / Share: