Reaction between U(IV) and H2O2 in hydrochloric acid medium

Kinetic investigations on the reaction between U(IV) and H₂O₂ have been carried out at different acidities in chloride medium at an ionic strength of 2M. The observed bimolecular rate constant has been found to be dependant on H⁺]^?1.3. The activation energy of the overall reaction has been found to vary from 13.4 ± 0.7 to 18.0 ± 0.8 kcal/mol in the range of acidity from 0.3 to 1.5M. The results have been explained on the basis of three parallel rate-controlling reactions involving unhydrolyzed species of U(IV) and hydrolyzed species UCl(OH)²⁺ and UO²⁺. The values of the rate constants for these three reaction paths have been found to be of the order of 3.95, 5.59 × 10³, and 1.49 × 10⁵M^?1 min^?1, respectively.