Commissariat a L'energie Atomique

Jacques Aubert

Maurice Carles

Roger Neige

Louis Bethuel

A process for the purification of uranium hexafluoride containing traces of neptunium fluoride and/or plutonium fluoride, wherein the uranium hexafluoride to be purified is contacted with a metal fluoride chosen from the group including lead fluoride PbF.sub.2, uranium fluorides of UF.sub.4+x in which x has a value between 0 and 1 and chromium trifluoride CrF.sub.3, at a temperature such that the plutonium and/or neptunium fluorides are reduced, and wherein the thus purified uranium hexafluoride is recovered.

Uranium hexafluoride purification process

A chemical process of isotopic enrichment of uranium makes use of isotopic exchange between an aqueous phase loaded with uranium III and another phase charged with uranium IV. Reduction and oxidation of uranium in aqueous phase are carried out using the same electrolyzer. Reduction may be by zinc amalgam which is later electrolytically reduced.

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Pierrelatte, France

Jacques Aubert