Reaction of oxygen with solutions of uranium(IV) chloride in fused LiCl and three alkali chloride eutectic mixtures (LiCl–KCl, NaCl–KCl–CsCl, NaCl–CsCl) was investigated at 550–750 °C. Bubbling oxygen or oxygen-containing gas mixtures (O2–H2O, O2–Ar, O2–H2O–Ar) through LiCl–UCl4 melts resulted in significant precipitation of uranium (up to 87%) in the form of oxides and alkali uranates. Increasing mean radius of the solvent melt cations decreased the degree of uranium precipitation and uranyl chloride (soluble in the melt) became the main product of the reaction. High temperature spectroscopy measurements were employed to determine the kinetic parameters of the reaction in LiCl–KCl, NaCl–KCl–CsCl and NaCl–CsCl melts. Reaction rates, order, rate constants and activation energy values were estimated. Increasing temperature led to increased reaction rates but the effect of uranium chloride concentration depended on the cationic melt composition. Oxygen reacts with uranium(IV) containing melts much faster than with the melts containing rare earth chlorides and oxygen sparging can be implemented for separating uranium and rare earth fission products in pyrochemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)076504
JournalJournal of the Electrochemical Society
Volume170
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2023

    WoS ResearchAreas Categories

  • Electrochemistry
  • Materials Science, Coatings & Films

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

ID: 41998861