Solids Formation from Synthetic Fuel Reprocessing Solutions: Characterization of Zirconium Molybdate by ICP,XRF,and Raman Microprobe Spectroscopy

Abstract

Raman microprobe, ICP, and XRF techniques have been applied to characterize the solids precipitated from HNO₃ solutions containing Zr and Mo under different solution conditions. The saturation yields of precipitation decrease linearly—in almost all cases—with increasing acid strength, and nearly complete precipitation of Mo occurs in 3-M HNO₃ solutions; ionic strength does not seem to affect the yields. Raman spectra of the microparticles indicate that hydrated zirconium molybdate is the main product, except in solutions with large excess of Mo relative to Zr. Identification of the species formed in these solutions is made by comparison of the Raman spectra with the spectra of known compounds. X-ray diffraction patterns of hydrated and thermally treated zirconium molybdate are in accord with the reported crystallographic data.