The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 08, 1980
Filed:
Sep. 06, 1977
George W Watt, Austin, TX (US);
Daniel W Baugh, Jr, Baton Rouge, LA (US);
Exxon Nuclear Company, Inc., Bellevue, WA (US);
Abstract
An actinide dioxide, e.g. uranium dioxide, plutonium dioxide, neptunium dioxide, etc., is prepared by reacting the actinide nitrate hexahydrate with sodium dithionite as a first step; the reaction product from this first step is a novel composition of matter comprising the actinide sulfite tetrahydrate. The reaction product resulting from this first step is then converted to the actinide dioxide by heating it in the absence of an oxygen-containing atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen) to a temperature of about 500.degree. to about 950.degree. C. for about 15 to about 135 minutes. If the reaction product resulting from the first step is, prior to carrying out the second heating step, exposed to an oxygen-containing atmosphere such as air, the resultant product is a novel composition of matter comprising the actinide oxysulfite tetrahydrate which can also be readily converted to the actinide dioxide by heating it in the absence of an oxygen-containing atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen) at a temperature of about 400.degree. to about 900.degree. C. for about 30 to about 150 minutes. Further, the actinide oxysulfite tetrahydrate can be partially dehydrated at reduced pressures (and in the presence of a suitable dehyrating agent such as phosphorus pentoxide). The partially dehydrated product may be readily converted to the dioxide form by heating it in the absence of an oxygen-containing atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen) at a temperature of about 500.degree. to about 900.degree. C. for about 30 to about 150 minutes.