Re: separating thorium from uranium

On 2012-04-23 01:22, Bill wrote:
>  
> 
> The Manhattan Project used anion exchange to separate thorium from
> uranium and other heavy elements, and the Soviets apparently used the
> same system during their atomic program.
> 
> According to the Journal of Analytical Chemistry of the USSR, Vol. 28,
> Part 3, p. 1240, uranium and a long list of elements are "completely
> absorbed by anion exchange resins in HCl solutions above 8, but thorium
> is not."
> 
> Although it may appear I know what I am talking about, I have no clue.
> Can someone rephrase the above in "normal English" and then explain the
> anion exchange method so that a layman (like myself) can understand how
> it works?

Anion exchange resin works according to reaction:

R-OH + X- = R-X + OH-

where R is a insoluble polymer. In the solution of hydrochloric acid,
the uranium and thorium react with chlorides giving anionic complexes,
which can be exchanged by the resin. Apparently the uranium complexes
are more stable than thorium complexes - but I'm not an expert in their
chemistry, so don't ask me why ;).


-- 
Z pozdrowieniami,
Krzysztof Mitko


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