Eden.

Richard completed the first step of the initial extraction of uranium and obtained a solution containing relatively few impurities.

With that done, Richard walked out of the lab and took his first break in a long time.

"Whoa!"

Take off the heavy chemical protective suit, rinse the whole body, replenish a certain amount of food and salt water, and sleep for a while.

About an hour later, Richard opened his eyes on a bed in one of the rooms of the underground laboratory.

"Brush!"

He quickly got up, put on a new chemical protective suit, replaced a new oxygen cylinder, and began the second step of uranium purification.

This time, Richard took out the yellowish translucent liquid that had been specially prepared from the warehouse.

The function of this liquid is to carry out specialized extractions.

Extraction, also known as solvent extraction, liquid-liquid extraction, extraction, is based on the principle of separating mixtures with the help of different solubility of components in the solvent in the system.

To put it simply, because there is a certain difference in the solubility of a substance in two immiscible solvents, it is possible to use this property to transfer a substance from one solvent to another.

Then, by separating the two immiscible liquids, one of the components of the mixture is separated.

Richard had already thought about these things before the experiment, so he didn't hesitate to do anything, took the container containing the extract, entered the laboratory, and then opened the lid and poured it into the reaction pool.

It can be seen that after pouring the extract, the extract and the original liquid in the reaction pool form two extremely obvious liquid levels, one up and down.

Under the action of suction, the specific substances in the stock solution of the reaction tank move towards the extract, and are cleaned up after a short time.

Without a pause, Richard continued to be busy, using other methods to continuously operate the reaction cell, continuing to clean up the remaining impurities, so that the stock solution contained fewer and fewer types of elements.

After half a day, there were very few elements in the reaction pool except uranium.

At this time, the uranium element is present in TBP, that is, in the tributyl phosphate solvent.

This is a colorless and transparent liquid, insoluble in water, has a certain toxicity, and can have a certain inhibitory effect on human plasma. When the human intake exceeds the limit, it can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing, convulsions, paralysis, and lethargy.

In addition, this substance has an irritating effect on the skin, and vapors and smoke can cause damage to the eyes, mucous membranes and upper respiratory tract.

However, at this time, Richard, who was wearing protective clothing and armed all over, did not have any worries and continued to operate boldly with confidence.

At this time, what he wants to do is reverse extraction.

As the name suggests, anti-extraction and extraction, are in opposition to each other.

They all work on the same principle that they are both substances with differences in solubility in two immiscible solvents, allowing the substance to be transferred in the two solvents.

However, extraction generally involves the transfer of a substance from the aqueous phase to the organic phase.

For example, it is to transfer a substance from hydrochloric acid (aqueous phase) to oil (organic phase).

Reverse extraction, on the other hand, transfers a substance from the organic phase to the aqueous phase.

TBP, or tributyl phosphate solvent, is an organic phase, and at this time Richard is ready to transfer uranium from it, and the reverse extractant used is dilute nitric acid.

"Whoa, whoa!"

After opening the container and pouring a large amount of dilute nitric acid into the reaction cell, the reaction proceeds rapidly, and the uranium element continuously leaves the tributyl phosphate solvent and enters the dilute nitric acid.

In the middle of the day, the uranium element is transferred, and the tributyl phosphate solvent in the machine phase is cleaned up, and what remains is the uranium-containing nitric acid solution in the aqueous phase.

But that's not all.

Immediately afterward, Richard added the last substance, magnesium oxide, to the reaction cell.

Magnesium oxide (MgO) is an oxide of magnesium that appears as a white solid at room temperature.

Because this substance exists in nature in the form of chlorite, it is relatively easy to obtain, and Richard has a lot of reserves in his hands at this time.

Considering that magnesium oxide is exposed to the air, it is easy to absorb moisture and carbon dioxide and gradually become basic magnesium carbonate, which leads to deterioration. Richard carefully stored the ground magnesium oxide in a dry barrel-shaped glass container.

At this time, Richard took out the magnesium oxide powder in the glass container from the warehouse, quickly opened the lid of the container, and added it to the reaction cell.

Magnesium oxide enters the liquid and reacts rapidly with the nitric acid contained in it, which also affects the uranium contained in it.

It can be seen with the naked eye that over time, precipitation begins to grow.

If you look at it carefully, it's a golden precipitate, like gold.

The gold is shiny, shiny, as if exuding a dazzling luster, with a precious atmosphere.

Its ingredient is magnesium diuranate, which is also known by another name as ...... Yellowcake.

Yellowcake!

That's right, yellowcake!

The second step of uranium purification is complete!

......

After the second step was completed, Richard did not stop and carried out a lot of tedious finishing work.

After a few hours, the finishing touches are complete, and all the precipitates in the reactor have been removed and successfully passed the test.

The end result was that a special metal barrel contained almost half a barrel of yellow cake – the product of the second step of uranium extraction – and in order to obtain this half bucket of product, almost 500 barrels of mineral powder were put into the reactor tank.

In other words, the ratio of raw materials to final products is almost 1000:1.

Considering the other substances added to the process, this figure is even more exaggerated.

The difficulty of preparing yellowcakes can be seen from this.

But anyway, it was prepared successfully.

......

"Whew-"

In the hazmat suit, Richard exhaled slowly. Through protective gloves, he touched the yellow cake in the metal bucket with his hand, and his eyes were a little bright. He knew very well in his heart that the successful preparation of the yellowcake had greatly improved his nuclear weapons research and manufacturing plan.

After all, it's a yellowcake.

This is a real product of the nuclear industry.

Only when you get this can you start in the nuclear field.

On the other hand, getting this is already a successful start in the nuclear field.

If we continue to develop, we will be able to gain the right to speak in the whole world step by step.

It's a qualification, but it's also a threat.

Therefore, on the earth, the circulation of yellowcake is closely monitored by the major powers. In some films, yellowcakes are also often used as key items for terrorist groups to compete for.

Richard pursed his lips.

The main significance of the preparation of yellowcake for him is that it can be seen as a sign of success in a small stage.

At this time, after testing, he had determined the uranium content in the yellowcake, which was about 60%.

This is a low value, and in general, the normal uranium content of a yellow cake is 75%.

However, considering that there were many inevitable mistakes in the first experiment, this value is acceptable, and as the experimental process is repeated and fine-tuned, the value will gradually increase, and finally reach the ideal 75%.

At that time, you can move on to the third and fourth steps.

There is still a long way to go, but he is confident that he will make it to the end.

He was looking forward to that day.

"I'm looking forward to it......" Richard muttered in his hazmat suit.

At this moment, he felt that what he was holding was not a simple chemical raw material, but more like food to feed the demons in the abyss. As he continues to prepare, as he continues to feed, eventually a terrifying great demon will crawl out of the abyss, roaring to the heavens and destroying the world.

Of course, he believed that no matter what, the chains around the neck of this terrifying archdemon were firmly in his hands.

Because this terrifying demon was created by him little by little.

In a sense, this terrifying demon is actually himself, the beast nature he has been hiding in his body.

At that time, whether this great demon is used to destroy or create is all up to him.

And now he hopes that the situation will not be too bad by then, and that the world will keep a little bit of beauty for him.

Wish......