Patent · US Expired

Method of preparing uranium dioxide powder from uranium hexafluoride

US4963294A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
0References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 30, 1987
Grant dateOct 16, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 30, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC01G43/025
  • WIPO fieldMaterials, metallurgy
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of fabricating uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2) powder from uranium hexafluoride (UF.sub.6) is disclosed, which comprises PA1 (1) reacting UF.sub.6 gas with steam with controlling the temperature of reaction between said UF.sub.6 gas and said steam at a predetermined temperature within the range of 200.degree. to 700.degree. C., to form solid uranyl fluoride (UO.sub.2 F.sub.2) and/or uranium oxide with an O/U ratio (oxygen-to-uranium atomic ratio) of 2.7 to 3, PA1 (2) dissolving said UO.sub.2 F.sub.2 and/or uranium oxide in water or nitric acid to form an aqueous uranyl solution containing UO.sub.2 F.sub.2 and/or uranyl nitrate (UO.sub.2 (NO.sub.3).sub.2), PA1 (3) reacting said aqueous uranyl solution with ammonia to precipitate ammonium diuranate (ADU), PA1 (4) filtering said precipitate, PA1 (5) drying said precipitate, PA1 (6) calcining said dry precipitate, and PA1 (7) reducing said calcined precipitate, whereby controlling the characteristics of said UO.sub.2 powder.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.