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Title: Method of separating thorium from plutonium

Abstract

A method is described for 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.

Inventors:
;
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7012852
Patent Number(s):
4459268
Application Number:
PPN: US 6-443983
Assignee:
Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 23 Nov 1982
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; PLUTONIUM; SEPARATION PROCESSES; THORIUM; DISSOLUTION; ION EXCHANGE; ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS; NITRITES; PLUTONIUM CHLORIDES; PLUTONIUM NITRATES; SODIUM CHLORIDES; SODIUM COMPOUNDS; THORIUM NITRATES; ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; ACTINIDES; ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS; CHLORIDES; CHLORINE COMPOUNDS; ELEMENTS; HALIDES; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; MATERIALS; METALS; NITRATES; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS; THORIUM COMPOUNDS; TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS; TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS; 050800* - Nuclear Fuels- Spent Fuels Reprocessing; 400105 - Separation Procedures

Citation Formats

Clifton, D G, and Blum, T W. Method of separating thorium from plutonium. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Clifton, D G, & Blum, T W. Method of separating thorium from plutonium. United States.
Clifton, D G, and Blum, T W. Tue . "Method of separating thorium from plutonium". United States.
@article{osti_7012852,
title = {Method of separating thorium from plutonium},
author = {Clifton, D G and Blum, T W},
abstractNote = {A method is described for 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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 1984},
month = {Tue Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 1984}
}

Patent:
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