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A simple and fast fusion technique to recover plutonium embedded inside molten solidified Cu mass contained in refractory alumina crucibles

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Abstract

Refractory plutonium oxide embedded inside molten solidified Cu in an alumina crucible was dissolved in dilute HNO3, after the pre-treatment solid state fusion reaction with (NH4)2SO4. The product obtained in various stages of reaction were characterised by X-ray diffraction analysis. The reaction between PuO2 and (NH4)2SO4 lead to formation of (NH4)2Pu(SO4)3 in the temperature range 350–440 °C. The reaction parameters such as amount of reactants, reaction temperature and isothermal heating time at different steps were optimised to maximise the recovery of plutonium. The efficiency of plutonium dissolution was found to be 98% by modified Drammond and Grant method.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Dr. S. Kannan, Head, Fuel Chemistry Division for his keen interest in this work. The authors are also thankful to Mr. Bal Govind Vats and Dr. S. K. Sali of Fuel Chemistry Division for recording the XRD and TG/DTA data. The authors are also grateful to Mr. Chiranjit Nandi of Radio Metallurgy Division for recording the XRD pattern of Pu bearing compounds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fuel Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Jisha S. Pillai & Satyajeet Chaudhury

  2. Radioanalytical Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Manjulata Sahu

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  1. Jisha S. Pillai
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  2. Manjulata Sahu
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  3. Satyajeet Chaudhury
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Correspondence to Satyajeet Chaudhury.

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Pillai, J.S., Sahu, M. & Chaudhury, S. A simple and fast fusion technique to recover plutonium embedded inside molten solidified Cu mass contained in refractory alumina crucibles. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 318, 1419–1425 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6202-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-018-6202-9

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