Alternative route for UF6 conversion towards UF4 to produce metallic uranium

The present work is focused on a study for the preparation of uranium tetrafluoride UF4 appropriate for the metallic uranium (U0) reduction from solutions obtained by uranium hexafluoride (UF6) hydrolysis using stannous chloride (Sn Cl2) as the reducing agent. The objective of the present study has been on one hand to gather experience within the uranium tetrafluoride preparation technology field by making use of an alternative, safe and simple process with which the knowledge obtained through uranium hexafluoride hydrolysis solution could be used, and on the other hand to determine the best conditions for obtaining this product, in view of the effect of experimental variables over the physical and chemical characteristics of the powder obtained, particularly the content of the uranium dioxide (UO2), uranyl fluoride (UO2F2), the contents of hydrating water and specific surface, in order to make a correlation of those properties with the yielding of the reduction reaction caused by compounds at uranium metal producing. The metallurgical process for metallic uranium production is updated. (author)