Molten Salt Bath Heating of Uranium and Its Alloys.

摘要

In the fabrication of uranium and its alloys, the workpiece is commonly preheated and postheated in a molten salt bath. In this report, past and present uranium salt bath technology is reviewed and critiqued. This critical review points out two distinct fruitful development areas: (1) need for a salt for warm working of uranium and (2) need for a hot working salt that will reduce the hydrogen content of the uranium workpiece. This report recommends that a nitrate salt be developed for warm working of uranium; it also recommends that a chloride-containing salt with a relative low melting point and capability to outgas uranium be developed for hot alpha-phase working and recrystallization of uranium. In selecting new heat-treating salts, two important considerations are: (1) the corrosive nature of the salt with the workpiece and (2) the corrosive nature of the salt with its container and workpiece carrier. These subjects are discussed as well as the ability of the new salt to be washed easily from the workpiece. 45 refs., 13 figs., 31 tabs.