Inhibition of hydrogen chemisorption on uranium surfaces by traces of water vapor

Traces of about 2% water vapor are sufficient to inhibit hydrogen dissociation and chemisorption on uranium surfaces, under low pressure exposures, at room temperature. The efficiency of the inhibition increases with temperature in the range of 200 - 400 K. The inhibition effect is also influenced by the extent of residual strain of the sample, with increasing inhibition efficiencies exhibited by a less strained surface. O₂, in contrast to H₂O, is not an inhibitor to surface adsorption and dissociation of hydrogen. Three types of mechanisms are discussed in order to account for the above inhibition effect of water. It is concluded that the most probable mechanism involves the reversible adsorption of water molecules on hydrogen dissociation sites causing their “blocking”.     

三丁基氧化膦-离子液体体系萃取UO2(NO3)2的机理和选择性

研究了三辛基氧化膦(TOPO)和三丁基氧化膦(TBPO)在离子液体(ILs) 1-烷基-3-甲基咪唑双三氟甲基磺酰亚胺盐(C_nmimNTf₂, n=2, 4, 6, 8)中萃取分离UO₂(NO₃)₂. TOPO-C₂mimNTf₂和TOPO-C₄mimNTf₂体系萃取UO₂(NO₃)₂时会出现三相, 而TBPO萃取UO₂(NO₃)₂的萃合物可以很好地溶解在所有离子液体中. 论文也考察了萃取过程中的萃取剂浓度效应、酸效应、盐效应. 水相加入HNO₃会降低萃取效率. 盐效应证明了萃取是一种阳离子交换机理. 水相中加入NO₃^-能够提高U的萃取, 这说明NO₃^-参与萃取. 选择性研究表明: 除了在高酸度下对Zr 的显著萃取, TBPO-C₄mimNTf₂萃取体系在低酸度下对U呈现较好的选择性; 去除U后, 在低酸度下该体系对三价Nd 仍保持较好的选择性. 通过定量比较离子液体中NO₃^-进入量, 电喷雾质谱(ESI-MS)和紫外光谱表征确定了TBPO-C_nmimNTf₂中萃取机理的差异性. 萃取中存在两种萃合物, 即UO₂(TBPO)₃(NO₃)⁺和UO₂(TBPO)₃²⁺, 其中UO₂(TBPO)₃(NO₃)⁺的比例从C₂mimNTf₂体系到C₈mimNTf₂体系逐渐增加.     

Potential Function and Thermodynamic Property of UO (cited: 2)

Potential energy scan for uranium oxide (UO) was performed by ab initio configuration inter-action (CI) method and density functional theory methods at the PBE1 and the B3LYP levels in combination with the (ECP80MWB_AVQZ+2f) basis set for uranium and 6-311+G* foroxygen. The dissociation energies of UO, after being corrected for the zero-point vibrational energy, are 2.38, 3.76, and 3.31 eV at the CI, PBE1, and B3LYP levels, respectively. The calculated energy was fitted to potential functions of Morse, Lennard-Jones, and Rydberg. Only the Morse function is eligible for the potential. The anharmonicity constant is 0.00425. The anharmonic frequency is 540.95 cm^-1 deduced from the PBE1 results. Thermodynamic properties of entropy and heat capacity at 298.2-1500 K were calculated using DFT-UPBE1 results and Morse parameters. The relationship between entropy and temperature was es-tablished.     

Integration of self-consistent polycrystal plasticity with dislocation density based hardening laws within an implicit finite element framework: Application to low-symmetry metals

We present an implementation of the viscoplastic self-consistent (VPSC) polycrystalline model in an implicit finite element (FE) framework, which accounts for a dislocation-based hardening law for multiple slip and twinning modes at the micro-scale grain level. The model is applied to simulate the macro-scale mechanical response of a highly anisotropic low-symmetry (orthorhombic) crystal structure. In this approach, a finite element integration point represents a polycrystalline material point and the meso-scale mechanical response is obtained by the mean-field VPSC homogenization scheme. We demonstrate the accuracy of the FE-VPSC model by analyzing the mechanical response and microstructure evolution of α-uranium samples under simple compression/tension and four-point bending tests. Predictions of the FE-VPSC simulations compare favorably with experimental measurements of geometrical changes and microstructure evolution. Specifically, the model captures accurately the tension–compression asymmetry of the material associated with twinning, as well as the rigidity of the material response along the hard-to-deform crystallographic orientations.     

Synthesis and characterization of uranium (IV) complexes with various amino acids

Complexes of uranium in its IV oxidation state, using cysteine, glycine, serine and aspartic acid as ligands, have been synthesized. Semi-microanalysis of the complexes indicate 1:1 metal to ligand ratio for all the synthesized complexes. Infrared spectra of solid complexes have been employed to establish the groups, coordinated to the metal ion. Effective magnetic moment of the complexes were also estimated.     

Assessment of the Nd/U ratio for the quantification of neodymium in UO2

The secondary ion energy spectrum of uranium depends on the experimental conditions, which is a problem for the application of a relative sensitivity factor (RSF) procedure for the measurement of the Nd concentration in UO₂. This is interpreted as due to the dependence of the sputtering and ionisation yields of uranium on the oxidation state of the surface. Three experimental procedures are being tested to cope with this difficulty.     

Synthesis,characterization, thermogravimetry,and structural study of uranium complexes derived from dibasic S-alkylated thiosemicarbazone ligands

Two pentagonal bipyramidal complexes, ethanol-(S-ethyl-N¹,N⁴-bis(3-methoxy-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde)-isothiosemicarbazide-N,N′,O,O′)-dioxidouranium(VI) (1) and ethanol-(S-ethyl-N¹-(2-hydroxyacetophenone)-N⁴-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde)-isothiosemicarbazide-N,N′,O,O′)-dioxidouranium(VI) (2), have been prepared and characterized. Their structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography, and the structural parameters are discussed with those observed in related complexes. Electronic absorption, proton magnetic resonance, and FT-IR spectra have been recorded and analyzed. In both complexes, the U(VI) centers are surrounded by N₂O₂ donor ligands, two oxido groups, and one ethanol in a distorted pentagonal bipyramid. The thermal stability of the new complexes has also been determined.     

质谱法精密测定重水中的氢同位素丰度

介绍了用高分辨气体质谱计精密测定重水中氢同位素丰度的分析方法．实验自制了一套重水分解系统,以金属铀作还原剂,在一定的温度下还原重水为氘气．采用低温活性碳作为吸收剂,将样品分解、制备成气体试样,用高分辨气体质谱计测定重水中氢同位素丰度．该方法测定高浓度（〉99％）重水的氘丰度,测量结果的相对标准偏差不大于0．02％。     

Surgénérateurs ; l'état des matériaux aux hautes irradiations, hautes puissances locales et températures, leurs gradients et propriétés mécaniques adaptées aux contraintes qui en résultent

The motivations to realize nuclear breeder reactors are developed in the present context of a strong growth in electronuclear power stations in many countries, using mostly moderated and water cooled reactors.The past studies can be of a substantial profit in France and, to a lesser degree, in other countries of the EU. However, to use fully the 238 uranium isotope, the materials for these breeders must withstand much harder radiation than those for water reactors. The power densities and thermal gradients will also be much more intense. The mechanical stresses, both static and dynamic, will be large and will act on materials with altered mechanical properties. Fuel elements will have to be produced with materials already irradiated several times and therefore showing such alterations.A field of studies concerning materials and their mechanical behavior in new and severe conditions is sketched here, both in construction and working conditions, together with proposed necessary instrumentation and research orientations.