Kinetics of the oxidation of U (IV) by hydrogen peroxide in sulfuric acid medium

The kinetics of the reaction have been investigated in H₂SO₄ medium under different conditions. The observed bimolecular rate constant k_obs, has been found to depend on [H⁺]^?0.55 and to increase with the initial concentration ratio of the reactants R₀ = [H₂O₂]₀/[U (IV)]₀ above 0.49. The activation energy of the overall reaction has been determined as 13.79 and 14.3 kcal/mol at R₀ = 1 and 0.35, respectively. Consistent with experimental data, a detailed reaction mechanism has been proposed where the hydrolytic reaction (4) followed by the rate-controlling reaction (10) and subsequent fast reactions of U (V) and OH radicals are involved: A kinetic expression has been derived from which a graphical evaluation of (kK₄)^?1 and k^?1 has been made at R₀ = 1 as (12.30 ± 0.09) × 10^?3 M min, (6.23 ± 2.19) × 10^?4 M min; and at R₀ = 0.35 as (12.63 ± 2.13) × 10^?3 M min, (8.32 ± 6.62) × 10^?4 M min, respectively. Indications of some participation of a chain reactionat R₀ = 1 have been obtained without affecting thesecond-order kinetics as observed.