1986•OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information)Requires access
Electrochemical process for dissolving plutonium dioxide and leaching plutonium from scrap or wastes
L.A. Bray, J.L. Ryan, E.J. Wheelwright
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Abstract
Dissolution of plutonium (PU) from high-fired plutonium dioxide (PuO/sub 2/) and the leaching of Pu from scrap or wastes have often posed difficult process problems. Traditionally, dissolution has been accomplished using 12 M HNO/sub 3/-0.18 M HF at boiling temperatures. This work discusses the development of electrochemical dissolution of PuO/sub 2/ in compartmented cells. Small amounts of oxidation catalysts are used to carry electrons from the solid PuO/sub 2/ to the anode surface, producing PuO/sub 2//sup 2 +/ solution. PuO/sub 2/ that has been fired at temperatures to 1700/sup 0/C can be dissolved at 25/sup 0/C to concentrations exceeding 400 g Pu/L using the catalyzed electrochemical plutonium oxide dissolution (CEPOD) process. The silver ion is used as the redox catalyst. The dissolution rates are 5 to 15 times faster than the rates obtained using the current process (12 M HNO/sub 3/-0.18 M HF), and the corrosive fluoride ion is avoided.