The Direct Fluorination Process is currently aimed toward the processing of the Zircaloyclad, UO/sub 2/ fuel typical of the Dresden Reactor. Fuel Cycle Applications of Volatility and Fluidization Techniques. Magnetic susceptibility measurements on the intermetallic comPound CeCd/sub 11/ were made over a range of temperature from 4 to 295 deg K. The free energy of formation of the U-Pb intermetallic compound UPb/sup 3/ was measured between 374 and 846 deg C by means of a galvanic cell method. The reaction of Al with a liquid Cd solution containing U, Zr, and Ce was studied. The partition of U between liquid Al and liquid Cd was studied as a function of U concentration. The solubility of Ni in liquid Cd was measured. The solubility of Mn in liquid Cd was found to range from 0.27% at 414 deg C to 1.43% at 661 deg C. The solubility of Th in liquid Cd was measured over the temperature range from 1.9 x 10/sup -3/ per cent at 348 deg C to 1.8 x 10/sup -2/ per cent at 658 deg C. Recovery of Pu from Mg solution by distillation of Mg was more » demonstrated on 1-g Pu scale. The liquid metal corrosion loop in which a U-Mg-Cd alloy is being circulated at 550 deg C has been in trouble-free operation for 3000 hrs. Cadinium solntions of U were shown to be stable in Types 405 and 410 stainless steel containers at temperatures up to 550 deg C. The reduction of uranium oxide was investigated, using pure Mg and solntions of Mg in Zn and Cd. A direct-cycle fuelreprocessing plant using pyrometallurgical procedures is being designed as part of the Experimental Breeder Reactor No. With the experience gained from the work reported here, future experimentation with nickel metal and NiF/sub 2/ should be successful. Therefore, the proposed methods were used mostly for the study of B-PbF/sub 2/, for which previous studies also provided values for comparison. Some problems also arose in the study of the electrical conductivity of NiF/sub 2/, namely, only relatively impure NiF/sub 2/ was available, and NiF/sub 2/ exhibited poor mechanical stability as electrodes. However, these problems were avoided by the successful substitution of copper for nickel in the studies of solubility and diffusivity. For two reasons, a probable phase change in CaF/sub 2/ at a temperature around 1175/sup 0/C and a thermal expansion coefficient which differs greatly from solid nickel, CaF/sub 2/ single crystal electrolytes could not yet be interfaced perfectly to solid nickel for electrochemical studies. For several technical reasons, the specific experimentation has deviated somewhat from that originally proposed. The probe must be evaluated in oxygen-containing atmospheres which might limit its accuracy and lifetime. Another objective of the program is to design and construct a more » fluorine probe for the measure of fluorine chemical potentials in gaseous environments. The latter study encompasses the study of the electrical conductivity of metal fluorides under thermodynamically well-defined conditions. The program consists of determining the following properties using solid-state, CaF/sub 2/-electrolyte galvanic cells: (A) solubility and diffusivity of fluorine in metals, specifically nickel, and (B) the nature of the point defects (type, concentration and mobility) in metal fluorides as a function of fluorine partial pressure, temperature and impurity concentration. The present research is being undertaken to study some fundamental thermodynamic and transport properties and detailed mechanisms pertinent to metal fluorination reactions.
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