Electrodeposition of Uranium by Pulse Electrolysis in Molten Fluoride Salts

Electrodeposition of Uranium by Pulse Electrolysis in Molten Fluoride Salts 

Department of Fluorine Chemistry, Nuclear Research Institute Rel, pic, 

Among other applications, the electrochemical-based separation of actinides and lanthanides from molten salt media seems to be a suitable method (together with molten salt/liquid metal extraction) for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel in proposed future types of nuclear reactors. 

Uranium is among the major elements in most fuel cycles and the effective separation of actinides from lanthanides is highly desirable mainly because of the neutron poisoning properties of the fission products. Electroseparation processes are investigated widely in molten chlorides and fluorides. For example, U separation by electrolysis on a solid inert cathode is used within the integral fast reactor (IFR) concept [1]. It is the main goal of this work to extend knowledge about the possibilities of uranium separation from molten fluoride systems. 

Few publications deal with molten fluorides. Mamantov and Manning studied uranium behaviour in LiF-NaF-KF and LiF-BeF2-ZrF4 melts [2-6]. A cyclic voltammogram of a LiF-NaF-KF-UF4 system can be found in Ref. [7]. Hamel et aZ. [8] used LiF-NaF and LiF-CaFj melts. Straka et al. [9] studied uranium electrochemical behaviour in LiF-BeF2 [primary choice for the molten salt reactor (MSR) breeder reactor carrier melt]. 

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