The Electrodeposition of Ruthenium from a Ruthenium(III) and Ruthenium(IV) Solution and a Fission Products Solution

Abstract The electrodeposition of ruthenium from ruthenium chloride and ruthenium nitrosyl chloride solution has been studied and has been applied to the separation of the radioactive ruthenium contained in fission products. When the amount of the ruthenium deposited in a given time was plotted against the cathode potential, the curves for 1×10−7m solutions of chloride and nitrosyl chloride showed a maximum. The decrease in the electrodeposition at lower cathode potentials may be due to the anodic oxidation of ruthenium as well as to the evolution of hydrogen gas at the cathode. The rate of electrodeposition was found to depend on the material used as the cathode, and to be increased by an increase in the temperature and by the addition of the carrier platinum or ruthenium. A complete separation of radio-ruthenium from fission products resulted when electrolysis was carried out with a 0.1 m hydrochloric acid solution of fission products containing carrier ruthenium under the appopriate conditions mentioned in the text. The ruthenium electrodeposited on the platinum electrode was completely recovered into the solution by anodic oxidation.