Production of high-purity ammonium perrhenate for W–Re–Ni–Fe heavy alloys

The paper presents the developed method for purification of ammonium perrhenate solutions by ion-exchange method on strongly acidic cation-exchange resin C160. The developed method is characterized by high, over 95% efficiency of sorption of potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium and lead ions, and high efficiency of regeneration of the resin with 32% solution of nitric(V) acid. In that way ammonium perrhenate was produced of the following composition: 69.4% Re, <0.0005% Ca, <0.001% K, <0.0005% Mg, <0.0005% Cu, <0.0005% Na, <0.0005% Mo, <0.0005% Ni, <0.0005% Pb, <0.0005% Fe. Some selected results of the experiments into possibilities for application of that specifically purified ammonium perrhenate in production of W–Re–Ni–Fe heavy alloys are presented as well as physical and mechanical properties of the heavy alloys. It was established that the purified ammonium perrhenate is a proper material for production of heavy alloys, and the generated sinters can be used in manufacture of armour-piercing discarding sabots.

► The developed method is characterized by high, over 95% efficiency of sorption of potassium ions. ► The developed method is characterized by high efficiency of regeneration of the resin with 32% solution of nitric(V) acid. ► It was established that the purified ammonium perrhenate is a proper material for production of heavy alloys.