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Tailoring Triuranium Octoxide into Multidimensional Uranyl Fluoride Micromaterials
Harry Jang1, Frederic Poineau1
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, United States.
ACS Omega
|June 24, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed new methods to create uranium fluoride micromaterials with controlled shapes. This research expands the possibilities for actinide fluoride microstructures, advancing nuclear materials science.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science, Nuclear Chemistry, Actinide Chemistry
Background:
- Uranium microstructured materials are crucial for nuclear applications like isotope production and reactor fuels.
- Existing research primarily focuses on uranium oxide microspheres, leaving other morphologies largely unexplored.
- Developing novel uranium halide and fluoride micromaterials with controlled shapes is essential for advancing nuclear technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the synthesis of unexplored uranium fluoride micromaterials with diverse morphologies.
- To evaluate the fluorination of uranium oxide precursors using solid-gas reactions for controlled shape fabrication.
- To establish efficient methods for producing uranium fluoride microrods, microplates, and microspheres.
Main Methods:
- Fluorination of uranium oxide (U3O8 and UO2) microspheres, microrods, and microplates using hydrogen fluoride gas (HF(g)) and ammonium bifluoride (ABF).
- HF(g) was generated from the thermal decomposition of silver bifluoride (SBF) in an autoclave at 250 °C.
- Characterization of the resulting uranium fluoride microstructures, including morphology, size, and yield.
Main Results:
- High yields (~90%) of uranium oxyfluoride (UO2F2) microrods and microplates were successfully synthesized from U3O8 precursors using SBF.
- The synthesized UO2F2 microrods (3-20 μm) and microplates (1-7.5 μm) retained the morphology of their U3O8 counterparts.
- Agglomerated (NH4)3UO2F5 and UO2F2 microspheres (2-3.5 μm) were produced from U3O8 microspheres using ABF; UO2 microspheres did not yield fluoride products.
Conclusions:
- The fluorination of U3O8 microrods and microplates with SBF is an efficient method for producing UO2F2 microrods and microplates.
- This study successfully demonstrates the preparation of diverse uranium fluoride microstructures (microspheres, microrods, microplates).
- The developed methods open avenues for novel actinide fluoride micromaterials with tailored properties for various nuclear applications.
