Determination of the oxygen-to-uranium ratio in hypostoichiometric uranium dioxide

✍ Scribed by A. Tolk; W.A. Lingerak; D. Börger

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1970
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 466 KB
• Volume: 49
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0003-2670
• DOI: 10.1016/s0003-2670(00)86818-x

✦ Synopsis

In general, the reactor fuel uranium diosidc is l~ylxrstoicllionwtric.

Howcwr, if a specimen of this material is l~eatecl at temperatures near or above 2000° in citlicr inert or reducing atmospheres hylxxtoichiomctric UOC..~ is formed*. As far as is lanown, the UOZ.-~, so obtained is composed upon cooling of uranium metal in a mntris of uo 2.000 -3.

ITor the dctcrmination of the ovcmll os3'~eu-to-uranium ratio in UO:!.-,,, tile following methods have txen mentioned in tlic literaturc"~".

(a) The snmplc is osiclizccl in air:

and the O/U ratio is calculatccl from the incrcasc in weight. Altcrnativel~, dissolution in nitric acid can lx followed by COll'CfSiOIl to U:IOH : 3 U&_,, fr!"!?: 3 l_JOz"+ -+ U&H and the O/U ratio is calculntccl from the increase in weight. (0) Partial oxidation of the sample in air is followed by reduction in hyclrogen : UO&r/ -2

UOz.,.z "L UOz.aoo + .