Dissolution of uranium dioxide in supercritical fluid carbon dioxide

Uranium dioxide can be dissolved in supercritical CO2 with a CO2-philic TBP-HNO3 complexant to form a highly soluble UO2(NO3)(2).2TBP complex; this new method of dissolving UO2 that requires no water or organic solvent may have important applications for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels and for treatment of nuclear wastes.     

Dissolution of metallic uranium and its alloys

This review focuses on dissolution/reaction systems capable of treating uranium metal waste to remove its pyrophoric properties. The primary emphasis is the review of literature describing analytical and production-scale dissolution methods applied to either uranium metal or uranium alloys. A brief summary of uranium's corrosion behavior is included since the corrosion resistance of metals and alloys affects their dissolution behavior. Based on this review, dissolution systems were recommended for subsequent screening studies designed to identify the best system to treat depleted uranium metal wastes at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electrodeposition of uranium dioxide films

Uranium dioxide films in a hydrated form are electrodeposited unto nickel plates starting with a uranyl nitrate solution in ammonium sulfate. The process is incidental to water splitting which is the dominant electrochemical pathway and as a consequence, the uranium deposition is highly dependent on experimental parameters that require close control such as the pH and concentration of the supporting electrolyte as well as current density, and the cell design. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Removal of thorium and uranium from aqueous solution by adsorption on hydrated manganese dioxide

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - The hydrated manganese dioxide (HMO) was synthesized by hydrothermal process using MnSO4 and KMnO4. The adsorption of HMO for Th(IV) and U(VI)...     

Dissolution of uranium oxides under alkaline oxidizing conditions

Bench scale experiments were conducted to determine the dissolution characteristics of UO₂, U₃O₈, and UO₃ in aqueous peroxide-containing carbonate solutions. The experimental parameters investigated included carbonate countercation (NH₄ ⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, and Rb⁺) and H₂O₂ concentration. The carbonate countercation had a dramatic influence on the dissolution behavior of UO₂ in 1 M carbonate solutions containing 0.1 M H₂O₂, with the most rapid dissolution occurring in (NH₄)₂CO₃ solution. The initial dissolution rate (y) of UO₂ in 1 M (NH₄)₂CO₃ increased linearly with peroxide concentration (x) ranging from 0.05 to 2 M according to: y = 2.41x + 1.14. The trend in initial dissolution rates for the three U oxides under study was UO₃ ≫ U₃O₈ > UO₂.     

Reaction of uranium monocarbide powder in oxidizing atmospheres

Thermogravimetric records have been obtained of uranium monocarbide oxidized in oxygen and in carbon dioxide under similar conditions. It is shown that the reactions are very similar. Initially, free carbon is formed during oxidation as well as UO₃ in O₂ or UO₂ in CO₂. In a second reaction step non-stoichiometric carbonates are formed, depending on experimental conditions. The carbonates decompose to stoichiometric oxides in the next step.Well crystallized α-UO₃ can be obtained by oxidation of uranium monocarbide in oxygen. The solid products containing UO₂ which slowly formed in carbon dioxide, are unstable in air.Infrared and X-ray analysis have been used to-compare related, solid structures. Activation energies have been determined of non-isothermal reactions, recorded below 750°C.     

Interaction mechanisms between uranium(VI) and rutile titanium dioxide: from single crystal to powder

This paper is devoted to the study of the mechanisms of interaction between uranyl ion and rutile TiO2. Among the radionuclides of interest, U(VI) can be considered as a model of the radionuclides oxo-cations. The substrate under study here is the rutile titanium dioxide (TiO2) which is an interesting candidate as a methodological solid since it can be easily found as powder and as manufactured single crystals. This material presents also a wide domain of stability as a function of pH. Then, it allows the study of the retention processes on well-defined crystallographic planes, which can lead to a better understanding of the surface reaction mechanisms. Moreover, it is well-established that the (110) crystallographic orientation is dominating the surface chemistry of the rutile powder. Therefore, the spectroscopic results obtained for the U(VI)/rutile (110) system and other relevant crystallographic orientations were used to have some insight on the nature of the uranium surface complexes formed on rutile powder. This goal was achieved by using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) which allows the investigation, at a molecular scale, of the nature of the reactive surface sites as well as the surface species. For rutile surfaces, oxygen atoms can be 3-fold, 2-fold (bridging oxygens), or single-fold (top oxygens) coordinated to titanium atoms. However, among these three types of surface oxygen atoms, the 3-fold coordinated ones are not reactive toward water molecules or aqueous metallic cations. This study led to conclude on the presence of two uranium(VI) surface complexes: the first one corresponds to the sorption of aquo UO22+ ion sorbed on two bridging oxygen atoms, while the second one, which is favored at higher surface coverages, corresponds to the retention of UO22+ by one bridging and one top oxygen atom. Thus, the approach presented in this paper allows the establishment of experimental constraints that have to be taken into account in the modeling of the sorption mechanisms.     

Defluorination behavior and mechanism of uranium dioxide

The residual fluorine in ammonium uranyl tricarbonate (AUC) cannot be removed, while a large part of residual fluorine in ammonium diuranate (ADU) can be removed, when AUC and ADU are decomposed and reduced under dry hydrogen atmosphere. UO₂ was prepared by decomposing and reducing AUC and ADU in dry hydrogen atmosphere. The defluorination kinetics of UO₂ at 500–700°C in atmosphere of 50% H₂-50% H₂O was investigated. The results show that the defluorination kinetics supports the Lindman's assertion that the residual fluorine forms a solid-solution in UO₂.     

Determination of oxygen to uranium ratio in irradiated uranium dioxide by controlled potential coulometry

This work reports the determination of oxygen to uranium (O/U) ratio in irradiated UO_2+x fuel pellet of burnup of ca. 34 GWd/t by controlled potential coulometry. The method is based on the dissolution of the nuclear fuel in strong phosphoric acid (SPA) at 180–190 °C under an inert atmosphere. After dissolution, 8% sulphuric acid is added in order to obtain a 20% SPA in 8% sulphuric acid. A controlled potential coulometric determination of uranium(VI) is carried out at ?0.60V vs. ferri-ferrocyanide. The uranium(IV) contained in an aliquot of the fuel solution is oxidised to uranium(VI) with cerium(IV) sulphate, and the total uranium content is then determined by coulometry. Optimum experimental conditions have been established using simulated irradiated fuel solution containing various fission products which include cerium, tellurium, palladium, ruthenium, molybdenum and zirconium. Interference of the fission products and the possible removal of their interferences by preelectrolysis at +0.5 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE) have been investigated. The accuracy of the coulometric method is confimed by polarographic measurement using several unirradiated UO_2+x fuel of known stoichiometry.     

Dissolution properties of oxymatrine in citric acid solution

In this article, the enthalpy of dissolution for oxymatrine in 0.15 M citric acid solution is measured using a RD496-2000 Calvet Microcalorimeter at 36.5 °C under atmospheric pressure. The differential enthalpy (Δ _dif H _m) and molar enthalpy (Δ _sol H _m) were determined for oxymatrine dissolution in 0.15 M citric acid solution. On the basis of these experimental data and calculated results, the kinetic equation, half-life, Δ _sol H _m, Δ _sol G _m, and Δ _sol S _m of the dissolution process were also obtained.     

Separation of uranium from different uranium oxide matrices employing supercritical carbon dioxide extraction

Uranium from different uranium oxide matrices was extracted with tri-n-butyl phosphate–nitric acid (TBP–HNO₃) adduct using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO₂). While 30 min dissolution time at 323 K was sufficient for U₃O₈ and UO₂ powder, UO₂ granule (at 333 K) and crushed green pellet (at 353 K) required 40 min. Crushed sintered pellet required 60 min at 353 K for complete dissolution. Influence of various experimental parameters such as temperature, pressure, volume of TBP–HNO₃ adduct, acidity of nitric acid used for preparing TBP–HNO₃ adduct and extraction time on uranium extraction efficiency was also investigated. For UO₂ powder, temperature of 323 K, pressure of 15.2 MPa, 1 mL TBP–HNO₃ adduct, 10 M nitric acid and 30 min extraction time was found to be optimum. ~70% uranium extraction efficiency was obtained on extraction with SC CO₂ alone which increased to 90% with the addition of 2.5% TBP in SC CO₂ stream. Extraction efficiency was found to vary linearly with TBP percentage and nearly complete uranium extraction (~99%) was observed with 20% TBP. Nearly complete extraction was also achieved with addition of 2.5% thenoyltrifluoroacetylacetone (TTA) in methanol. The optimized procedure was extended to remove uranium from simulated tissue paper waste matrix smeared with uranium oxide solids.     

Luminescence study of tetravalent uranium in aqueous solution

The luminescence spectrum of U4+ in aqueous solution was observed in the UV-Vis region with the lifetime < 20 ns at room temperature by excitation light corresponding to the 5f-5f electronic transition. All the luminescence peaks were assigned to individual electronic transitions.     

Dissolution of carbon dioxide bubbles and microfluidic multiphase flows

We experimentally study the dissolution of carbon dioxide bubbles into common liquids (water, ethanol, and methanol) using microfluidic devices. Elongated bubbles are individually produced using a hydrodynamic focusing section into a compact microchannel. The initial bubble size is determined based on the fluid volumetric flow rates of injection and the channel geometry. By contrast, the bubble dissolution rate is found to depend on the inlet gas pressure and the fluid pair composition. For short periods of time after the fluids initial contact, the bubble length decreases linearly with time. We show that the initial rate of bubble shrinkage is proportional to the ratio of the diffusion coefficient and the Henry's law constant associated with each fluid pair. Our study shows the possibility to rapidly impregnate liquids with CO(2) over short distances using microfluidic technology.     

Intramolecular motion in uranium β-diketonates in solution

A ¹H NMR study of the chelate tetrakis (dipivaloylmethanato) uranium IVin CS₂ solution is presented. An intramolecular rearrangement is shown to take place between conformers of D₂ symmetry.The kinetics of this motion is also determined.     

Dissolution kinetics of fluorapatite in the hydrochloric acid solution

A thermochemical study of hydrochloric acid attack of synthetic fluorapatite was performed by a DRC. The calculated thermogenesis curves show one peak. The plot of the heat quantity as a function of the dissolved mass undergoes only one straight segment, and the thermogenesis curves present a single peak, suggesting the occurrence of a one-step dissolution process. The dissolution kinetics was examined according to the heterogeneous reaction models and showed that the dissolution is controlled by the product layer diffusion process with a reaction rate expressed by the following semiempirical equation; \(\left[ {1 + 2(1 - X) - 3(1 - X)^{{\frac{2}{3}}} } \right] = 3195 \times 10^{ - 2} C^{0.145} \left( {\frac{S}{L}} \right)^{ - 0.628} e^{{ - \frac{2600}{\text T}}} t\). The activation energy was determined as 21.6 ± 1.5 kJ mol^?1     

Dissolution of resistate minerals containing uranium and thorium: Environmental implications

Summary Minerals in the soil range from those that easily weather to those that are very resistant to the weathering processes. The minerals used in this study are referred to as “resistates” because of their resistance to natural weathering processes.¹ It is also known that there are some resistate minerals that have a tendency to contain uranium and thorium within their crystal structure. These resistates can contain as much as 15-20% of the total uranium and thorium present in the soil.⁹ Do resistates dissolve in acids, particularly in the HF/HNO₃ procedures, if not what can be done to the HF/HNO₃ process to dissolve more of the resistate minerals? How would these acid techniques compare to the fusion method used for mineral dissolution? Could the resistate minerals contain considerable amount of uranium and thorium? These were the questions addressed in this research. The comparative data indicate that the use of H₂SO₄ in the dissolution process resulted in ~25% overall increase in the minerals dissolving therefore resulting in a higher yield of extracted uranium and thorium.     

Tautomerization of thiourea dioxide in aqueous solution

Tautomerization of thiourea dioxide (TD) in an aqueous solution was studied by the semiempirical AM1 method. A possible mechanism of the process involves stepwise intermolecular proton transfer in TD oligomers followed by their breakdown and the formation of solvated monomers of aminoiminomethanesulfinic acid.