GB1284620A - Method of separating isotopes - Google Patents

Abstract

1284620 Separation of isotopes BATTELLEINSTITUT eV 23 Dec 1970 61182/70 Heading C1A A method of separating molecules of a compound containing a first isotope of an element from molecules of the same compound containing a second isotope of the same element, e.g. separating U<SP>235</SP> and U<SP>238</SP>, comprises irradiating the molecules in the gas phase with a laser beam, e.g. a carbon dioxide laser, an emission line of the laser beam corresponding to a rotationvibration absorption line of the molecules containing the first isotope but not to the same absorption line of the molecules containing the second isotope, whereby the molecules containing the first isotope are excited and chemically converted but the molecules containing the second isotope are not, and separating the converted molecules from the unconverted molecules. Preferably one or more coreactants are added to the molecular gas which reacts preferentially with the excited molecules. The chemical conversion may alternatively be a decomposition reaction. Preferably the compound is heated to a temperature at which the chemical conversion is just beginning prior to the radiation and the irradiation is carried out in the presence of a diluent gas, e.g. an inert gas. The converted molecules may be separated from the unconverted molecules by fractional distillation. The compounds employed may be selected from UF 6 , UF n Cl 6-n where n is an integer from 1 to 5, UCl 6 or U(BH 4 ) 4 .