Process for the separation of zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides from mixtures thereof
US4021531A · kind A · utility
15Cited by
5References
9Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 15, 1976 |
| Grant date | May 3, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC22B34/14
- WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The invention relates to a process for the separation of zirconium, and hafnium tetrachlorides from mixtures thereof. The process according to the invention consists of selectively absorbing zirconium tetrachloride and hafnium tetrachloride vapors in a solvent medium circulating counter-current to these vapors in a distillation column, wherein the solvent consists of a molten chloroaluminate and/or chloroferrate of potassium. The process described may be used to obtain hafnium-free zirconium tetrachloride which may then be used to prepare nuclear-grade zirconium, and hafnium tetrachloride containing little zirconium.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.