Method for dissolving plutonium dioxide
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorOthar K. Tallent
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Abstract
The fluoride-catalyzed, non-oxidative dissolution of plutonium dioxide in HNO.sub.3 is significantly enhanced in rate by oxidizing dissolved plutonium ions. It is believed that the oxidation of dissolved plutonium releases fluoride ions from a soluble plutonium-fluoride complex for further catalytic action.
Claims3
In a method for dissolving PuO.sub.2 in an aqueous dissolving mixture comprising PuO.sub.2, HNO.sub.3 and an effective catalytic amount of fluoride, the improvement comprising providing oxidizing conditions in said dissolving mixture to oxidize dissolved Pu ions and thereby increase the rate of PuO.sub.2 dissolution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.