Process for separating zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides from mixtures
AssigneeCentre National De La Recherche Scientifique
InventorsCatherine Santini-Scampucci, Yves Chauvin, Paul Campbell
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Abstract
A simple, inexpensive and non-corrosive industrial separation method making it possible to separate zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides from mixtures thereof, a simple industrial method allowing the zirconium/hafnium separation, and a method making it possible to produce fractions enriched with zirconium and containing hafnium at a trace level are disclosed.
Claims15
A method for separating hafnium tetrachloride and zirconium tetrachloride, from a mixture of Zr tetrachloride/aromatic compound and Hf tetrachloride/aromatic compound complexes, comprising:
- carrying out liquid-liquid extraction to separate hafnium tetrachloride and zirconium tetrachloride from a mixture of Zr tetrachloride/aromatic compound and Hf tetrachloride/aromatic compound complexes, with a Zr/Hf enrichment of at least 100/1 (expressed by mass), using an ionic liquid, the melting point of which is below 100° C., with a non-nucleophilic anion, under anhydrous conditions.
A method for separating hafnium tetrachloride and zirconium tetrachloride, comprising the following steps:
- bringing into contact under anhydrous conditions:
- a mixture of Zr tetrachloride/aromatic compound and Hf tetrachloride/aromatic compound complexes with an ionic liquid, the melting point of which is below 100° C.,
- the Zr tetrachloride/aromatic compound complex being molecular, and the Hf tetrachloride/aromatic compound complex being ionic
- recovery of the Zr tetrachloride/aromatic compound complex in a solvent, said solvent being such that:
- the solvent contains the mixture of complexes,
- or the solvent is added to the mixture of complexes at the same time as the ionic liquid is brought into contact with the mixture of complexes, or it is added to the mixture of complexes after the ionic liquid is brought into contact with the mixture of complexes,
- in order to separate hafnium tetrachloride and zirconium tetrachloride.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.