Ultrasonically assisted conversion of uranium trioxide into uranium(vi) intrinsic colloids

Under oxidizing conditions, the corrosion of spent nuclear fuel may lead to the leaching of radionuclides including soluble uranyl-based species. The speciation of the generated chemical forms is complex and the related potential formation of colloidal species appears surprisingly poorly reported in the literature. Their formation could however contribute significantly to the mobility of radionuclides in the environment. A better knowledge in the speciation and reactivity of these species appears particularly relevant. This study describes the preparation and characterization of intrinsic uranium(vi) colloids from amorphous and crystalline UO₃ in pure water assisted by 20 kHz ultrasound. In the presence of carbon monoxide preventing the sonochemical formation of hydrogen peroxide, ultrasonic treatment boosts the conversion of UO₃ powder into (meta-)schoepite precipitates and yields very stable and notably concentrated uranium(vi) nanoparticles in the liquid phase. Using HR-TEM, SAXS and XAS techniques, we confirmed that the colloidal suspension is composed of quasi-spherical nanoparticles measuring ca. 3.8 ± 0.3 nm and exhibiting a schoepite-like crystallographic structure. The proposed method demonstrates the possible formation of environmentally relevant U(vi) colloidal nanoparticles appearing particularly interesting for the preparation of reference systems in the absence of added ions and capping agents.