Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Experimental Investigation of Effective Parameters in Thermal Decomposition of Thorium Oxalate

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

A Yadollahi
A Charkhi
M Torab Mostaedi
https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2019.248
Abstract
In this study, the thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate dihydrate (Th(C2O4)2. 2H2O) was investigated by using design of experiment- technique. The thermal decomposition experiments were carried out in a two- temperature procedure and the influence of the decomposition temperature of the second step, as well as, durations of both steps on the crystallinity, size, size distribution, morphology and specific surface area of the produced thorium oxide were investigated. For this purpose the experiments were designed by using Taguchi method. The results showed that the optimum decomposition temperature and duration of the first and second heating stages were 400 °C for 4 hours and 750 °C for 4 hours, respectively. The powder characterization showed that the cubic thorium oxideparticles synthesized in the optimal conditions had uniform size distribution with an approximate size of 350 nanometers. Moreover, the crystallinity of ThO2 phase and specific surface area of these particles were 95% and 35.23(m2 g-1), respectively.

Highlights

[1] V. Dekoussar, G.R. Dyck, A. Galperin, C. Ganguly, M. Todosow, M. Yamawaki, Thorium Fuel Cycle–Potential Benefits and Challenges, IAEA-TECDOC-1450, Vienna )2005).

 [2] J.K. Young, C.H. Bloomster, W.I. Enderlin, M.H. Morgenstern, M.Y. Ballinger, M.K. Drost, S.A. Weakley, Economics of Large-Scale Thorium Oxide Production: Assessment of Domestic Resources, Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA) (1980).

 [3] K.O. Johnsson, R.H. Winget, Pilot Plant Preparation of Thorium and Thorium-Uranium Oxides, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-2853; (1959).

 [4] R. d'Eye, P.G. Sellman, The Thermal Decomposition of Thorium Oxalate, Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, 1 (1955) 143-48.

 [5] S. Hubert, K. Barthelet, B. Fourest, G. Lagarde, N. Dacheux, N. Baglan, Effect of the Crystallinity on the Leaching of Thorium Dioxide, International conference Scientific research on the back-end of the fuel cycle for the 21. Century, (2000) 1-9.

 [6] S. Dash, R. Krishnan, M. Kamruddin, A.K. Tyagi, B. Raj, Temperature Programmed Decomposition of Thorium Oxalate Hexahydrate, Journal of nuclear materials, 295 (2001) 281-89.

 [7] E. Oktay, A. Yayli, Physical properties of thorium oxalate powders and their influence on the thermal decomposition. Journal of nuclear materials, 288(1) (2001) 76-82.

 [8] N. Raje, A. V. R. Reddy, Mechanistic aspects of thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate hexahydrate: a review. Thermochimica Acta, 505(1) (2010) 53-58.

 [9] K. Ananthasivan, S. Anthonysamy, A. Singh, P.R. Vasudeva Rao, De-Agglomeration of Thorium Oxalate–a Method for the Synthesis of Sinteractive Thoria, Journal of nuclear materials, 306 (2002) 1-9.

Keywords

Thorium
thermal decomposition
Thorium Oxide
Thorium Oxalate
Taguchi
[1] V. Dekoussar, G.R. Dyck, A. Galperin, C. Ganguly, M. Todosow, M. Yamawaki, Thorium Fuel Cycle–Potential Benefits and Challenges, IAEA-TECDOC-1450, Vienna )2005).
 [2] J.K. Young, C.H. Bloomster, W.I. Enderlin, M.H. Morgenstern, M.Y. Ballinger, M.K. Drost, S.A. Weakley, Economics of Large-Scale Thorium Oxide Production: Assessment of Domestic Resources, Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA) (1980).
 [3] K.O. Johnsson, R.H. Winget, Pilot Plant Preparation of Thorium and Thorium-Uranium Oxides, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-2853; (1959).
 [4] R. d'Eye, P.G. Sellman, The Thermal Decomposition of Thorium Oxalate, Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, 1 (1955) 143-48.
 [5] S. Hubert, K. Barthelet, B. Fourest, G. Lagarde, N. Dacheux, N. Baglan, Effect of the Crystallinity on the Leaching of Thorium Dioxide, International conference Scientific research on the back-end of the fuel cycle for the 21. Century, (2000) 1-9.
 [6] S. Dash, R. Krishnan, M. Kamruddin, A.K. Tyagi, B. Raj, Temperature Programmed Decomposition of Thorium Oxalate Hexahydrate, Journal of nuclear materials, 295 (2001) 281-89.
 [7] E. Oktay, A. Yayli, Physical properties of thorium oxalate powders and their influence on the thermal decomposition. Journal of nuclear materials, 288(1) (2001) 76-82.
 [8] N. Raje, A. V. R. Reddy, Mechanistic aspects of thermal decomposition of thorium oxalate hexahydrate: a review. Thermochimica Acta, 505(1) (2010) 53-58.
 [9] K. Ananthasivan, S. Anthonysamy, A. Singh, P.R. Vasudeva Rao, De-Agglomeration of Thorium Oxalate–a Method for the Synthesis of Sinteractive Thoria, Journal of nuclear materials, 306 (2002) 1-9.

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