Lithium metal reduction of plutonium oxide to produce plutonium metal

Patent · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:868321

Coops, Melvin S ^[1]

---

1. Livermore, CA

A method is described for the chemical reduction of plutonium oxides to plutonium metal by the use of pure lithium metal. Lithium metal is used to reduce plutonium oxide to alpha plutonium metal (alpha-Pu). The lithium oxide by-product is reclaimed by sublimation and converted to the chloride salt, and after electrolysis, is removed as lithium metal. Zinc may be used as a solvent metal to improve thermodynamics of the reduction reaction at lower temperatures. Lithium metal reduction enables plutonium oxide reduction without the production of huge quantities of CaO--CaCl.sub.2 residues normally produced in conventional direct oxide reduction processes.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5118343
• OSTI ID: 868321
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

lithium
metal
reduction
plutonium
oxide
produce
method
described
chemical
oxides
pure
reduce
alpha
alpha-pu
by-product
reclaimed
sublimation
converted
chloride
salt
electrolysis
removed
zinc
solvent
improve
thermodynamics
reaction
temperatures
enables
production
huge
quantities
cao-cacl
residues
normally
produced
conventional
direct
processes
plutonium oxide
lithium oxide
lithium metal
reduction process
chloride salt
plutonium metal
reduction reaction
normally produced
chemical reduction
plutonium oxides
solvent metal
/75/