Chemical component recovery from ligated-metals
First Claim
1. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) forming an ionized zone by exposing a gas to an ionizing agent, wherein the ionizing agent is in a form selected from a group consisting of and a magnetic field, and wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and
b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal.
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Abstract
A method for converting a ligated-metal into chemical components of the ligated-metal includes forming an ionized zone that can convert the ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate. The ligated-metal is directed into the ionized zone, whereby the ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of the ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture. The reduced ligated-metal intermediate is converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of the ligated-metal. Ligated-metals that are suitable for processing by the method of the invention include, for example: uranium hexafluoride (UF6); sodium chloride (NaCl); and metal halides, such as iron trichloride (FeCl3). Chemical components that can be recovered from the ligated-metal include, for example, metals and gases derived from the ligand component of the ligated-metals.
114 Citations
54 Claims
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1. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by exposing a gas to an ionizing agent, wherein the ionizing agent is in a form selected from a group consisting of and a magnetic field, and wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by forming a source of electrons by combining dissimilar metals, wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal.
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5. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone that can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized producing a primary chain carrier that induces a chain reaction and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone that can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal; and c) separating at least one of the chemical components from the ionization zone, wherein the separated chemical component is a radioactive element in its elemental state. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone that can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal; and c) separating at least one of the chemical components from the ionization zone, wherein the separated chemical component is a transition metal in its elemental state. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by ionizing a gas, wherein the gas that is ionized includes an elemental component that is common to the ligated-metal feed, and wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by ionizing the ligated-metal feed, wherein the ionized ligated-metal feed includes a cation, and wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal.
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31. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by ionizing the ligated-metal feed, wherein the ionized ligated-metal feed includes an anion, and wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being coverted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal.
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32. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by ionizing a gas to form an ionized gas component that can dissociate the chemical component from the ligated-metal feed, wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, and wherein the ionization potential of the ionizing gas and ligated-metal feed are about equal; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone by ionizing a halogen gas to form an ionized gas component that can dissociate the chemical component from the ligated-metal feed, wherein the ionized zone can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced liaated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone that can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal, wherein the ligated-metal feed includes a composition selected from the group consisting of an actinide metal halide, a metal oxide, a metal sulfide, iron chloride, nickel chloride, iron oxide, and copper sulfide. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method for converting a ligated-metal of a ligated-metal feed into chemical components of the ligated-metal, comprising the steps of:
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a) forming an ionized zone that can convert said ligated-metal to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate; and b) directing the ligated-metal feed into the ionized zone, whereby said ligated-metal is converted to a reduced ligated-metal intermediate, thereby causing a thermodynamically stable metal-ligand bond of said ligated-metal to be electronically destabilized and inducing subsequent metal-ligand bond rupture, said reduced ligated-metal intermediate being converted by the metal-ligand bond rupture into chemical components of said ligated-metal, wherein the ligated-metal feed includes a ligand component including a composition selected from the group consisting of an oxyhalide, a nitride, an oxide, a sulfide, --CN. --OCN.--SCN. --SeCN. and --N3. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for recovering an elemental metal from a ligated-metal waste, comprising the steps of:
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a) ionizing a gas within a reactor to form an ionized gas component that can reduce a metal of the ligated-metal waste to form an elemental metal precipitate; and b) directing the ligated-metal waste into the reactor, whereby the ionized gas component reduces the metal of said ligated-metal waste to form the elemental metal precipitate, thereby recovering the elemental metal from the ligated-metal waste, wherein the ligated metal waste includes iron chloride. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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53. A method for recovering an elemental metal from a ligated-metal waste, comprising the steps of:
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a) ionizing chlorine gas within a reactor to form an ionized gas component that can reduce a metal of the ligated-metal waste to form an elemental metal precipitate; and b) directing the ligated-metal waste into the reactor, whereby the ionized gas component reduces the metal of said ligated-metal waste to form the elemental metal precipitate, thereby recovering the elemental metal from the ligated-metal waste.
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Specification