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Fluorination of Uranium Metal to UF3 and UF4 by Nitrogen Trifluoride: Evidence for Elusive UF2

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Bruce K McNamara
Affiliation:
[email protected], Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Randall Scheele
Affiliation:
[email protected], Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Andrew M Casella
Affiliation:
[email protected], Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Anne E Kozelisky
Affiliation:
[email protected], Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
Doinita Neiner
Affiliation:
[email protected], Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States
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Abstract

We have recently found that uranium and plutonium metals will react with nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) at temperatures below 120°C. These are the first reported instances of such low temperature fluorination reactions using NF3 and implicate metal catalyzed dissociation of the NF3 bond. We additionally present preliminary evidences for a surface mediated product distribution. Reaction of uranium metal with NF3 promotes products that are apparently determined by the concentration of the fluorinating reagent between temperatures of 60 to 120°C.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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