Method of producing metal nitrides
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorGuy Ervin, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for producing a selected metal nitride utilizing a salt bath. The selected metal is introduced into the salt bath in the presence of gaseous nitrogen and at least a certain amount of a halide of the selected metal. The salt bath is maintained at a temperature above its melting point for time sufficient to form a precipitate of the desired amount of a nitride of the selected metal. In accordance with a preferred embodment, the pressure is thereafter reduced to less than atmospheric and the temperature increased above the boiling point of the salt for a time sufficient to volatilize the molten salt which is removed to leave a precipitate of the selected metal nitride. The method is particularly applicable to the production of the mononitrides of uranium, plutonium, thorium, and mixtures thereof.
Claims9
A method of producing a selected nitride comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a salt bath in a reaction zone;
- b. introducing the selected metal into the salt bath in the presence of gaseous nitrogen;
- c. providing a halide of the selected metal in an amount of at least 10 gm per liter of salt;
- d. maintaining the salt bath at a temperature above its melting point and below its boiling point for a time sufficient for a desired amount of the selected metal to be reacted and form a precipitate of a nitride of the selected metal;
- e. removing the salt from the reaction zone;
- and
- f. recovering the selected metal nitride.
A method of producing a selected metal nitride comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a molten salt bath in an inert atmosphere in a closed reaction zone;
- b. introducing the selected metal into the molten salt bath in the presence of gaseous nitrogen, said selected metal being selected from the group consisting of plutonium uranium, thorium, and mixtures thereof;
- c. providing a halide of the selected metal in an amount of at least 10 gms per liter of molten salt;
- d. maintaining the molten salt bath at a temperature above its melting point and below its boiling point, said temperature being within the range of from 250.degree. to 900.degree. C, for a time sufficient for a desired amount of the selected metal to be reacted to form a precipitate of a nitride of the selected metal;
- e. reducing the pressure in the reaction zone to less than about 10 mm/Hg and increasing the temperature above the boiling point of the salt, said temperature being within the range of from about 500.degree. to 1500.degree. C, for a time sufficient to volatilize the molten salt;
- f. removing the volatilized salt from the reaction zone;
- and
- g. recovering the selected metal mononitride as a fine precipitate having a particle size of less than 5 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.