Method of separating hafnium from zirconium
AssigneeTeledyne Industries, Inc.
InventorJoseph Allen Megy
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Abstract
A method for separating hafnium and zirconium is disclosed in which unseparated zirconium and hafnium are dissolved in the molten state in a solvent metal, preferably zinc. This molten metal phase is contacted with a fused salt phase which includes a zirconium salt as one of its components. The desired separation is effected by mutual displacement, with hafnium being transported from the molten metal phase to the fused salt phase, replacing zirconium in the salt, while zirconium is transported from the fused salt phase to the molten metal phase. Separation factors of 300 or more per stage are achieved.
Claims17
The method of separating hafnium from zirconium, which comprises the steps of:
- preparing a molten metal phase which comprises a solution of unseparated zirconium and hafnium and a solvent metal;
- and
- contacting the molten metal phase with a fused salt phase which includes a zirconium salt as one of its components, whereby zirconium and hafnium separation is effected by mutual displacement, with hafnium being transported from the molten metal phase to the fused salt phase while zirconium is transported from the fused salt phase to the molten metal phase.
The method of separating hafnium from zirconium, which comprises the steps of:
- preparing a molten metal phase which comprises a solution of unseparated zirconium and hafnium and a solvent metal;
- and
- oxidizing a portion of the zirconium in the molten metal phase to form a zirconium salt in the fused salt phase, whereby zirconium and hafnium separation is effected by mutual displacement, with hafnium being transported from the molten metal phase to the fused salt phase while zirconium is transported from the fused salt phase to the molten metal phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.