Continuous anion exchange chromatography for the separation of zirconium isotopes
US5174971A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 10, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 10, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S423/07
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The thermal neutron capture cross-section of zirconium may be altered by altering its natural isotope distribution through a steady state chromatographic separation of these isotopes using an anion exchange resin as the stationary phase of the chromatographic column. Zirconium is dissolved in a very strong acid which causes the formation of a zirconium anion, such as the ZrOCl.sub.4.sup.-2 anion formed in six normal hydrochloric acid, and eluted off the column with a weaker acid. Distinct elution volumes representative of each isotope are collected. In a preferred embodiment, the process also separates the zirconium from hafnium and the other impurities normally present in the product obtained by chlorinating zircon sand and utilizes a continuous annular chromatograph.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.