About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials and Chemistry for Molten Salt Systems
|
| Presentation Title |
Purification of Chloride Salts Using SiO<sub>2</sub> to Remove Oxide and Hydroxide Impurities |
| Author(s) |
Mario Alberto Gonzalez, Michael Forrest Simpson |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Mario Alberto Gonzalez |
| Abstract Scope |
A new process was developed for purifying chloride salts in which dissolved oxide and hydroxide impurities are removed as insoluble oxosilicates by reaction with SiO<sub>2</sub>. Experiments were performed in LiCl (650 °C), eutectic LiCl–KCl (500 °C), and eutectic MgCl<sub>2</sub>–KCl–NaCl (500 °C) initially containing 0.1–0.5 wt% O. Stoichiometry was calculated based on orthosilicate (Li<sub>4</sub>SiO<sub>4</sub>, Mg<sub>2</sub>SiO<sub>4</sub>) formation and SiO<sub>2</sub> additions ranged from 1–56 times the stoichiometric amount. Acid-base titration was used to quantify O concentrations in salt samples, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to identify formed oxosilicates, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to quantify dissolved Si and metallic impurities. For LiCl and MgCl<sub>2</sub>–KCl–NaCl, the final O concentrations were below the titration detection limit of 20 ppm (based on sample sizes and solution volumes). For LiCl–KCl, the final O concentration was below 100 ppm. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Pyrometallurgy, Nuclear Materials, Process Technology |