The Production of Uranium by the Reduction of UF4 by Mg

📖 The Scoop

Due to difficulties encountered in the production of calcium metal in adequate quantity and of adequate purity at low cost, it became desirable to replace calcium by a cheaper metal in the production of uranium. Because of the heats of formation of its compounds, its relative stability in air, and its cheapness in high purities, magnesium was the best suited metal for the purpose. Since the heat of reaction of the reduction of UF4 by Mg was not sufficient to melt the products, it was necessary to add heat to the system. This was done in experimental studies both by preheating the reactants before reaction was initiated and by the use of a simultaneous auxiliary reaction producing more heat than the primary reaction. For the latter purpose the reductions of KClO3, K2S2O8 and of other salts by Mg were suitable reactions. The use of 'boosters' or auxiliary oxidants involved extra work and materials, thus increasing costs and offering additional opportunity for contamination, hence the preheating of the reactants was adopted for large scale production.

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