Ames process

The Ames process is a process by which pure uranium metal is obtained. It can be achieved by mixing any of the uranium halides (commonly uranium tetrafluoride) with calcium metal powder or aluminium metal powder.

History

The Ames process was used on August 3, 1942 by a group of chemists led by Frank Spedding at the Ames Laboratory. It is a type of thermite-based purification, patented in 1895 by German chemist Hans Goldschmidt. Development of the Ames process came at a time of increased research into mass uranium metal production. The desire for increased production was motivated by a fear of Nazi Germany discovering nuclear fission before the Allies. The process originally involved mixing powdered uranium tetrafluoride and powdered calcium together. This mixture was placed inside an iron pipe that was welded shut on one side and capped shut on another side. This container, called a "bomb" by Spedding, was placed into a blast furnace. When heated to a temperature of 1500°C, the contents of the container reacted violently, exploding inside the furnace. The reaction left behind a 35-gram ingot of pure uranium metal.