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Title: Metal recovery from porous materials

Abstract

A method is described for recovering plutonium and other metals from materials by leaching comprising the steps of incinerating the materials to form a porous matrix as the residue of incineration, immersing the matrix into acid in a microwave-transparent pressure vessel, sealing the pressure vessel, and applying microwaves so that the temperature and the pressure in the pressure vessel increase. The acid for recovering plutonium can be a mixture of HBF[sub 4] and HNO[sub 3] and preferably the pressure is increased to at least 100 PSI and the temperature to at least 200 C. The porous material can be pulverized before immersion to further increase the leach rate.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
7278897
Patent Number(s):
5154899
Application Number:
PPN: US 7-723122
Assignee:
PTO; EDB-94-086786
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-89SR18035
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 28 Jun 1991
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; PLUTONIUM; MATERIALS RECOVERY; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; COMBUSTION; LEACHING; MICROWAVE HEATING; FLUOROBORIC ACID; NITRIC ACID; PRESSURIZATION; RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING; ACTINIDES; BORON COMPOUNDS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; DISSOLUTION; ELEMENTS; FLUORINE COMPOUNDS; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; HEATING; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; INORGANIC ACIDS; MANAGEMENT; MATERIALS; METALS; OXIDATION; PROCESSING; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT; SEPARATION PROCESSES; THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES; TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTES; 052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing

Citation Formats

Sturcken, E F. Metal recovery from porous materials. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Sturcken, E F. Metal recovery from porous materials. United States.
Sturcken, E F. Tue . "Metal recovery from porous materials". United States.
@article{osti_7278897,
title = {Metal recovery from porous materials},
author = {Sturcken, E F},
abstractNote = {A method is described for recovering plutonium and other metals from materials by leaching comprising the steps of incinerating the materials to form a porous matrix as the residue of incineration, immersing the matrix into acid in a microwave-transparent pressure vessel, sealing the pressure vessel, and applying microwaves so that the temperature and the pressure in the pressure vessel increase. The acid for recovering plutonium can be a mixture of HBF[sub 4] and HNO[sub 3] and preferably the pressure is increased to at least 100 PSI and the temperature to at least 200 C. The porous material can be pulverized before immersion to further increase the leach rate.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1992},
month = {10}
}

Patent:
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