Uranium carbide dissolution in nitric solution: Sonication vs. Silent conditions

作者：Virot Matthieu^*; Szenknect Stephanie; Chave Tony; Dacheux Nicolas; Moisy Philippe; Nikitenko Sergey I

来源：Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2013, 441(1-3): 421-430.

DOI：10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.06.021

The dissolution of uranium carbide (UC) in nitric acid media is considered by means of power ultrasound (sonication) or magnetic stirring. The induction period required to initiate UC dissolution was found to be dramatically shortened when sonicating a 3 M nitric solution (Ar, 20 kHz, 18W cm(-2), 20 degrees C). At higher acidity, magnetic stirring offers faster dissolution kinetics compared to sonication. Ultrasound-assisted UC dissolution is found to be passivated after similar to 60% dissolution and remains incomplete whatever the acidity which is confirmed by ICP-AES, LECO and SEM-EDX analyses. In general, the kinetics of UC dissolution is linked to the in situ generation of nitrous acid in agreement with the general mechanism of UC dissolution; the nitrous acid formation is reported to be faster under ultrasound at low acidity due to the nitric acid sonolysis. The carbon balance shared between the gaseous, liquid, and solid phases is strongly influenced by the applied dissolution procedure and HNO3 concentration.

• 出版日期2013-10
• 单位中国地震局