Electrochemistry of uranium in sodium chloroaluminate melts

The electrochemical behaviour of uranium has been studied in basic, NaCl-saturated NaAlCl₄ melts at 175°C. Solutions of UO₃ exhibit two oxidation/reduction waves (cyclic voltammetry). The first wave corresponds to the U(VI)/U(IV) redox couple and is irreversible (slow electron transfer). The second wave corresponds to the deposition and stripping of an insoluble U(III) compound (U(IV)/U(III)). Solutions of UO₂ or UCl₄ and U(IV) solutions prepared by exhaustive electrolysis of UO₃ behave identically. The cyclic voltammograms of U(IV) solutions are the same as those of UO₃, but they show additional anodic peaks. Analysis of the peak currents (cyclic voltammetry), the limiting currents (pulse polarography) and the non-linear log i-t curves (anodic controlled potential coulometry) leads to the conclusion that uranium (IV) in the basic chloroaluminate melt exists as two different species in slow equilibrium with one another, of which only one species can be oxidized to U(VI). E.m.f. measurements of U(VI)-U(IV) mixtures indicate that the electron transfer process involves the formation of an intermediate U(V) species in a disproportionation equilibrium.     

Electrochemical behavior of uranium(III) in NaCl–KCl molten salt

The electro-redox behavior of uranium(III) on Mo electrode in NaCl–KCl molten salt in the temperature range 973–1073 K has been investigated using cyclic voltammetry electrochemical method and so on, such research will help to understand uranium behavior in pyro-reprocessing. The results showed that UCl₃ could be reduced into uranium metal in a quasi-reversible one-step process exchanging three electrons. The diffusion coefficients of U(III) ions were determined and the activation energy for diffusion was found to be 55.794 kJ mol⁻¹. The apparent standard potentials of U(III)/U(0) at several temperatures were calculated. The thermodynamic properties of UCl₃ have also been investigated.

     

Coulometric determination of uranium in presence of iron/plutonium using a platinum working electrode

A controlled potential coulometric method for the determination of uranium in the presence of iron or plutonium using a platinum working electrode has been developed. The method consists of reduction of uranium in 8M H₂SO₄ by Ti(III) followed by destruction of excess Ti(III) and selective oxidation of Fe(II) or Pu(III) to Fe(III) or Pu(IV), respectively, by sodium nitrite. The U(IV) is subsequently determined by electrolytic oxidation at Pt electrode using Fe(III) as an intermediate. The method was employed for the determination of uranium in synthetic mixtures of U+Fe and U+Pu containing varying ratios of U/Fe or U/Pu. The precision obtained for uranium results was ±0.25%.     

Electrode process of Nd-Fe alloy formed on iron electrode in molten chlorides

The cyclic voltammetry, convolution voltammetry and chronopotentiometry were used to study the electrode process of Nd (III) reduced on iron electrode in molten NaCl-KCl-NdCl₃ from 700 to 850°C. The electrodeposited products were analysed by X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that the intermetallic compound Fe₂Nd forms first, and then the metallic neodymium deposits when Nd (III) is reduced on iron electrode. The Nd-Fe alloys rich in neodymium can be obtained by electrolysis with iron cathode in molten chlorides. The Nd-Fe alloys are composed of Fe₂Nd and Nd.     

Further development in the high-precision volumetric method for the determination of uranium in nuclear-grade uranium compounds

The high-precision uranium determination by reduction with ferrous sulfate in phosphoric acid and titration with dichromate, which is applicable to nuclear-grade uranium compounds in which the uranium exists nearly exclusively as U(IV), has been modified. The modification enlarges the range of applicability of the original method to include the analysis of uranium compounds in which the uranium exists as U(VI) or as a mixture of U(IV) and U(VI), such as U₃O₈. The modified method has the same precision, relative freedom from interferences and applicability for routine use as the original method.     

Cathodic adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of uranium with potassium hydrogen phthalate

The adsorption properties of dioxouranium (II)-Phathalate complexes onto hanging mercury drop electrode are exploited in developing a highly sensitive and selective stripping voltammetric procedure for the determination of uranium (VI). The reduction current of adsorbed complex ions of U(VI) was measured by both linear sweep (LSCSV) and differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry (DPCSV), preceded by a period of preconcentration onto the electrode surface. As low as 2x10(-9) mol dm(-3) (0.5 mug/l) and 2x10(-8) mol dm(-3) (4.8 mug/l) with accumulation time 240 and 120 s using DPCSV and LSCSV, respectively, have been determined successfully. The relative standard deviation of 2.2% at the 5 ppm level was obtained. The interferences of some metal ions and anions were studied. The application of this method was tested in the determination of uranium in superphosphate fertilizer.     

Electrochemical separation of uranium and cerium in molten LiCl–KCl

The electrochemical separation of uranium from cerium in LiCl–KCl eutectic and the electrochemical behavior of Ce(III) were studied. According to the cyclic voltammogram of Ce(III) and the former result of U(III), electrodeposition potential was determined at ?1.65 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The uranium metal was successfully deposited and separated from cerium. The morphology of deposit and cross section of electrode were investigated by SEM, firstly uranium deposit alloys with stainless steel and forms a thin transition layer, and secondly the uranium metal layer grows from the transition layer. The separation factors of uranium/cerium on different recovery ratios were determined through a series of steps. It was found that the content of cerium in the deposit and separation factors declined with increasing the initial concentration of U³⁺ in molten salts; the separation factors remained stable at around 20 in different uranium recovery ratios.     

Constant-current coulometric determination of uranium in the pure metal

A new method is proposed for the highly precise and accurate constant-current coulometry of uranium in high-purity uranium. Precisely weighed amounts of uranium and pure iron are dissolved in 7 M sulfuric acid containing some hydrogen peroxide (40% $\text{v}\text{v}$). The solution is quantitatively transferred to the coulometric cell by rinsing with 1 M H₂SO₄, saturated with cerium(III) sulfate. The first step is the quantitative electro-chemical reduction to U(IV), Fe(II) and Ce(III) on a gold gauze electrode at constant current (100 mA) until evolution of hydrogen is observed. The hydrogen is then removed by flushing the solution with very pure nitrogen until the potential of a platinum gauze electrode reaches a constant value. Oxidation on the gold gauze electrode is carried out under precisely controlled constant current; after the quantitative oxidation of U(IV) to U(VI) and Fe(II) to Fe(III), and crossing the end-point, this end-point is determined very precisely potentiometrically through back-titration by successive current injections of 10 mA during 1 s. The method was tested on a NBS reference material, uranium (NBS 960).     

Determination of uranium in wet phosphoric acid by extraction with octylphenylphosphoric acid

A method for quantitative determination of uranium in phosphoric acid and wet phosphoric acid has been developed. After reduction with Fe, uranium(IV) is extracted with a kerosene solution of octylphenylphosphoric acid. The uranium was stripped with 10M H₃PO₄, containing H₂O₂, and then determined spectrophotometrically with Arsenazo III and by direct uranium(IV)-phosphoric acid solution measurements.     

Studies on the coulometric determination of uranium and plutonium employing a graphite electrode

Summary Graphite has been employed as a working electrode in the controlled potential coulometric determination of uranium and plutonium. The couples U(VI)/U(IV) and Pu(IV)/Pu(III) employed for analysis have diverse redox potentials and commonly the working electrodes employed are mercury and platinum. A graphite electrode in the shape of a beaker showed satisfactory performance for the quantitative reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) and Pu(IV) to Pu(III) and also for quantitative oxidation of Pu(III) to Pu(IV). Studies on the levels of the background current, blank values and their reproducible behaviour in acid media have been carried out with a view to achieve good precision and accuracy. A software-based predictive evaluation technique of end-point charge has been investigated. The results have shown that the graphite electrode can be used for the determination of both uranium and plutonium in the presence of each other with a precision and accuracy of better than ±0.5%.     

Lithium assisted electrochemical reduction of uranium oxide in room temperature ionic liquid

Lithium assisted electrochemical reduction of U₃O₈ in the room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), N-methyl-N-propylpiperidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (MPPiNTf₂), was studied to explore the feasibility of using RTILs for direct electrochemical reduction of uranium oxide at near ambient temperature. The electrochemical behavior of Li⁺ in MPPiNTf₂ at stainless steel electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The cyclic voltammogram of LiNTf₂ in MPPiNTf₂ at 373 K consisted of a surge in cathodic current occurring at a potential of −2.8 V (vs. Fc/Fc⁺) due to the reduction of Li(I) to metallic form. The nucleation phenomenon observed in the voltammogram was investigated by chronoamperometry. Electrodeposition of metallic lithium on U₃O₈ particles contained in a stainless steel (SS) basket was carried out to examine the feasibility of reducing U₃O₈ to metallic form. The results are discussed in this paper.     

Chloroheptakis(dimethyl sulfoxide)­uranium(IV) trichloride

In the title complex, [UCl(C₂H₆OS)₇]Cl₃, the uranium metal center is coordinated in a distorted bicapped trigonal prism geometry by seven O atoms from di­methyl sulfoxide ligands and by a terminal chloride ligand. Charge balance is maintained by three outer‐sphere chloride ions per uranium(IV) metal center. Principle bond lengths include U—O 2.391 (2)–2.315 (2) Å, U—Cl 2.7207 (9) Å, and average S—O 1.540 (5) Å.     

Sorption of uranium on magnetite nanoparticles

Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticle was synthesized using a solid state mechanochemical method and used for studying the sorption of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution onto the nanomaterial. The synthesized product is characterized using SEM, XRD and XPS. The particles were found to be largely agglomerated. XPS analysis showed that Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio of the product is 0.58. Sorption of uranium on the synthesized nanomaterials was studied as a function of various operational parameters such as pH, initial metal ion concentration, ionic strength and contact time. pH studies showed that uranium sorption on magnetite is maximum in neutral solution. Uranium sorption onto magnetite showed two step kinetics, an initial fast sorption completing in 4–6 h followed by a slow uptake extending to several days. XPS analysis of the nanoparticle after sorption of uranium showed presence of the reduced species U(IV) on the nanoparticle surface. Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratio of the nanoparticle after uranium sorption was found to be 0.48, lower than the initial value indicating that some of the ferrous ion might be oxidized in the presence of uranium(VI). Uranium sorption studies were also conducted with effluent from ammonium diuranate precipitation process having a uranium concentration of about 4 ppm. 42% removal was observed during 6 h of equilibration.     

Ultratrace analysis of uranium and thorium in glass

It is today a most common phenomenon that ultratrace analyses for quality control have to be carried out in industrial laboratories far from optimum conditions and in spite of the lack of best suited equipment. It was against this setting that the development of a method for the photometric determination of uranium- and thorium-traces in glasses with arsenazo III was envisaged. The method basically consists of a digestion with HF/HClO₄/H₃BO₃, an extractive preseparation of interfering Ti- and Zr-traces with TTFA/hexanol/CCl₄, an extractive separation of U- and Th-traces with TTFA/TBP/toluene and a final determination of thorium alone (in the presence of photometrically inactive U(VI)) and the sum of Th+U(IV) with arsenazo III.The concentration of uranium is calculated from the difference of the sum of both traces minus the thorium content. Uranium can be determined with nearly the same sensitivity as thorium after reduction to uranium(IV). The most suitable reducing agent for uranium(VI) to uranium(IV) is a mixture of Na₂S₂O₄/CH₂O. An optimization of the arsenazo III concentration for the determination of thorium and uranium yielded an optimal concentration of 80 mg/L arsenazo III: For the reduction of uranium concentrations of 2 g/L of Na₂S₂O₄ and 3.2 g/L CH₂O proved to be optimal. Interferences of this photometric end determination by titanium, zirconium and scandium were investigated quantitatively. The permissible excess for these elements was found to be so low that a trace-trace separation method proved to be necessary. Separation methods were checked for the separation of the matrix components of the investigated glasses from thorium and uranium. One of these methods was suitable after optimization: thorium and uranium are extracted with TTFA/TBP/toluene from a solution containing hydrochloric acid. Back-extraction is carried out with HCl/KMnO₄. For the separation of titanium- and zirconium-cotraces an extra separation method had to be developed: they are extracted with TTFA/hexanol/CCl₄ before the separation of uranium- and thorium-traces from the matrix. The glasses were digested with HF/HX. Fluoride from the hydrofluoric acid is incompletely removed by evaporation and interferes with the extraction of uranium and thorium due to complex formation. Depending on the digestion variant used 162 to 0.23 mg F^– remain in the residue of the digestion of a 5 g sample. This interference was eliminated by a digestion with HF/HClO₄/H₃BO₃ and masking of residual fluoride with AlCl₃.Abbreviations used Arsenazo III 1,8-Dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulphonic acid-2,7-bis [(azo-2)-phenylarsonic acid] - Arsenazo I 1,8-Dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulphonic acid-2-[(azo-2)-phenylarsonic acid] - BPAP 2- (5-Bromo-2-pyridy] azo)-5-diethylaminophenol - EDTA Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid - HX Designation for a high boiling mineral acid - FAAS Flame atomic absorption spectrometry - FOD 1,1,1,2,3,3,-Heptafluor-7, dimethyl-4,6-octanedione - GFAAS Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry - ICP-MS Inductively coupled plasma — mass spectrometry - ICP-OES Inductively coupled plasma — optical emission spectrometry - LAS Liquid absorption spectrophotometry (classical photometry) - m(Th) Mass of thorium - NAA Neutron activation analysis - pK_Diss Negative logarithm to the base 10 of the dissociation constant of a complex - TBP Tri-(n-butyl)-phosphate - TOPO Tri(n-octyl)-phosphinoxide - TTFA 1-(2-Thenoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoroacetone     

Voltamperometric determination of uranium and plutonium in alkaline solutions

The simultaneous determination of U(VI), Pu(VI), Pu(V) in 0.5–4.0 M NaOH has been elaborated by means of classical and differential pulse voltamperometry. U(VI) is determined with a dropping mercury electrode (DME) at the half-wave potential of E_1/2=–0.89 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode due to reduction to U(V). The limiting current or peak heights are proportional to uranium(VI) concentration in the range of 1.3.10^–7–3·10^–4 M U(VI). Deviation from proportionality is observed for higher concentrations due to polymerization of uranates. Pu(VI) and Pu(V) are determined with a platinum rotating electrode at E_1/2=–0.02 V due to the reaction Pu(VI)+e^–»Pu(V) and with DME at E_1/2=–1.1 V due to the reduction to Pu(III). The limiting currents of both Pu(VI) and Pu(V) are proportional to their concentrations in the range of 4·10^–6–1.2·10^–3 M Pu. The determination of U(VI), Pu(VI), Pu(V) is not interfered by the presence of the following salts: 2M NaNO₃, 2M NaNO₂, 1.5M NaAlO₂, 0.5M NaF and ions of Mo(VI), W(VI), V(V), Cu(II). The presence of CrO ₄ ^2– and FeO ₂ ^– ions disturbs the determination of U(VI) in 1–4M NaOH, however, contribution of the reaction Fe(III)+e^–»Fe(II) to uranium reduction peak can be calculated from the height of the second peak Fe(II)+2 e^–»Fe(0).     

Synthesis,crystal structure,spectroscopy, and electrochemistry of a uranium complex

A uranium coordination compound with pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid in deionized water has been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV, XPS, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The crystal belongs to the monoclinic system, space group C2/c with a?=?1.8427(4)?nm, b?=?0.6886(16)?nm, c?=?1.5442(4)?nm, α?=?90°, β?=?94.082(2)°, γ?=?90°, Z?=?4, and V?=?1.9544(8)?nm³. The structure shows an eight-coordinate uranium forming a hexagonal bi-pyramidal 3-D geometry with pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate as building units. Fluorescent studies show several strong emissions. Cyclic voltammetric measurement of the compound reveals that uranium(VI) is reduced irreversibly at E _1/2?=?927?mV with ΔE _p?=?77?mV, E _1/2?=??289?mV with ΔE _p?=?113?mV. The electron transfer number (n) involved in reduction processes could be calculated to be approximately two and one, which corresponded to the unusual U(VI)/U(IV) and U(IV)/U(III) couples.     

Characteristics of an integrated cathode assembly for the electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li2O molten salt

Summary Electrochemical behavior of the reduction of uranium oxide was studied in a LiCl-Li₂O molten salt system with an integrated cathode assembly. The mechanism for the electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide was studied through cyclic voltammetry. By means of a chronopotentiometry, the effects of the thickness of the uranium oxide, the thickness of the MgO membrane and the material of the conductor of an integrated cathode assembly on the overpotential of the cathode were investigated. From the voltamograms, the reduction potential of the uranium oxide and Li₂O was obtained and the two mechanisms of the electrolytic reduction were considered with regard to the applied cathode potential. From the chronopotentiograms, the exchange current, the transfer coefficient and the maximum allowable current based on the Tafel behavior were obtained with regard to the thickness of the uranium oxide, and of the MgO membrane and the material of the conductor of an integrated cathode assembly.     

Stripping Analysis of Trace Arsenic Based on the MnOx/AuNPs Composite Film Modified Electrode in Alkaline Media

A simple, rapid fabricated and sensitive modified electrode for detection of As(III) in alkaline media was proposed. The modified electrode was prepared by co‐electrodeposition of manganese oxides (MnO_x) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with cyclic voltammetry. Linear sweep anodic stripping voltammetry (LS‐ASV) was employed for the determination of arsenic (III) without interference from Cu(II), Hg(II), and other coexisting metal ions. A lower detection limit of 0.057 µg L^?1 (S/N=3) were obtained with a accumulation time of 200 s. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine arsenic (III) in real water samples with satisfactory recoveries.     

Abiotic reduction of uranium by mackinawite (FeS) biogenerated under sulfate-reducing condition

Sulfate-reducing bacteria and their by-products, such as iron sulfides, are widely distributed in groundwater and sediments, and can affect subsurface aqueous chemistry. Here we show the catalytic reduction of hexavalent uranium by FeS particles, which were largely generated by the activities of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans and D. vulgaris in anaerobic condition. Characterization of FeS particles by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of mackinawite having thin and flexible platy sheets with 0.5-nm lamellar spacing. This biogenic phase mediated abiotic reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) which was confirmed by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. The U conversion occurred through surface catalysis that involved adsorption of aqueous U(VI)–carbonate complexes (predominantly UO₂(CO₃) ₃ ^4? ) onto the mackinawite, but the transformed uranium was then released and remained in suspended form in the solution phase. This surface catalysis and subsequent U(IV) remobilization has not been reported as a pathway to occur under sulfate-reducing conditions. Our results suggest that the iron sulfide solid, which is characteristic of conductive property, is very sensitive and variable depending on the electron supplying and transferring environment, negatively affecting the surface uranium to be strongly stabilized and fixed on the FeS surface.     

Sequential separation of transuranic elements and fission products from uranium metal ingots in electrolytic reduction process of spent PWR fuels

A sequential separation procedure has been developed for the determination of transuranic elements and fission products in uranium metal ingot samples from an electrolytic reduction process for a metallization of uranium dioxide to uranium metal in a medium of LiCl-Li₂O molten salt at 650 °C. Pu, Np and U were separated using anion-exchange and tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP) extraction chromatography. Cs, Sr, Ba, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Zr and Mo were separated in several groups from Am and Cm using TBP and di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) extraction chromatography. Effect of Fe, Ni, Cr and Mg, which were corrosion products formed through the process, on the separation of the analytes was investigated in detail. The validity of the separation procedure was evaluated by measuring the recovery of the stable metals and ²³⁹Pu, ²³⁷Np, ²⁴¹Am and ²⁴⁴Cm added to a synthetic uranium metal ingot dissolved solution.