The reaction between dissociated fluorine and oxides of uranium

Fluorine at 1–5 torr pressure was dissociated with a microwave discharge and passed over samples of UO₂ or U₃O₈. The only reaction products were UF₆ and O₂. The reaction rates were independent of particle size and sample depth, but depended upon the geometric surface of the sample. Kinetic studies were interpreted to show that F-atoms react immediately upon contact with the surface, and that both F₂-molecules and F-atoms react with the sample. When the ratio, F/F₂, is relatively low, the partial pressure of F-atoms is rate determining. When the ratio, F/F₂, is relatively high the rate of diffusion of total fluorine (F+F₂) to the surface is rate determining.     

Effect of Pr-Ca substitution on the transport and magnetic behavior of LaMnO3 perovskite

The effect of simultaneous substitution of a fluctuating cation and a divalent cation in LaMnO₃ perovskite modifies the properties of the material to exhibit large valence colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) effect. A good example of these properties is (La_1−2x Pr _x Ca _x )MnO₃ (LPCMO) type CMR material. In this communication it is reported that, with the increase in x (for x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2), the T _c varies between 100 and 120 K with improvisation in metal-insulator transition. Interestingly, resistance increases with x from few hundred ohms to few kilo ohms with corresponding decrease in the unit cell volume. The results of the studies using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance and ac susceptibility measurements on LPCMO samples for understanding the structural, transport and magnetic properties are discussed in detail.