Chemistry: electrical and wave energy – Processes and products – Processes of treating materials by wave energy
Patent
1991-09-16
1993-06-22
Walsh, Donald P.
Chemistry: electrical and wave energy
Processes and products
Processes of treating materials by wave energy
2041572, B01D 500
Patent
active
052214460
ABSTRACT:
Selection criteria are disclosed for choosing a coreactant RX that will improve the isotope separation in laser-activated chemical reactions which may proceed by the steps: ##STR1## The step of coreactant activation can be important in some exchange reactions but unnecessary in others. That is for some laser-activated chemical reactions, the second step may be absent.
The selection criteria are based on the relative magnitudes of the bond-energies and therefore vibrational frequencies in the molecules .sup.i MY and RX, and the requirements for forming a Vanderwaals-like attachment complex. Also, the upper and lower limit of tolerable thermal (non-laser) reaction speeds are defined. It is shown further that it is necessary to restrict suitable RX candidates to those species which yield .sup.i MX product that does not participate in subsequent chemical reactions which cause isotope scrambling. The employment of a second auxiliary coreactant is recommended in certain cases if its interaction with the complex (.sup.1 MY:RX.sup.(*)).sup.+ will increase the latter's reaction rate and/or if it can scavenge the product .sup.i MX, thereby negating any subsequent isotope scrambling reactions of .sup.i MX. The auxiliary coreactant should not react, or only slowly react, with the reactants .sup.1 MY or RX. By application of the selection criteria to UF.sub.6, a small group of suitable chemical coreactants are identified which give improved Uranium isotope separations.
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London, Separation of Isotopes, London, George Newues Limited, pp. 431-436.
Cameco Corporation
Mai Ngoclan T.
Walsh Donald P.
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