Studies on Isotope Separation of Lithium by Electromigration in Fused Lithium Bromide and Potassium Bromide Mixture, (II)

Composition of Salt in Anode Compartment

抄録

Accurate knowledge on the salt composition in the anode compartment is indispensable when 6Li is to be highly enriched by electromigration in fused LiBr-KBr mixture. A study was made on the dependence on temperature shown by the salt composition in the anode com-partment. It was observed that sustained electromigration led to a salt composition in the anode compartment that was determined by the prevailing temperature. The composition was observed for various temperatures between 380°C and 740°C: In terms of the ratio Li/K in chemical equivalent, the values were 1.31 at 380°C, 1.29 at 420°C, 1.31 at 460°C, 1.41 at 500°C, 1.76 at 540°C, 1.82 at 580°C, 1.95 at 620°C, 2.16 at 680°C and 2.34 at 740°C. These results can be explained by assuming that the fused LiBr-KBr mixture is a system composed of two simple salts and their eutectic, and that at temperatures below 550°C, which is the melting point of LiBr, LiBr and KBr are dissolved in fused eutectic, while KBr is dissolved in the fused eutectic and LiBr at temperatures between 550° and 738°C, which latter is the melting point of KBr.