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High temperature UCl3 synthesis in molten salt mixtures via reaction of U metal with iron chlorides

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Abstract

We report the successful infusion of molten salt mixtures containing LiCl–KCl, NaCl, and NaCl-CaCl2 with UCl3 via reaction of U metal with iron chlorides (FeCl2 and FeCl3). Reaction in LiCl–KCl and NaCl-CaCl2 resulted in a yield of 93% and 96.7% using FeCl2 at 500 and 600 °C, respectively. Reaction to form NaCl-UCl3 at 850 °C had a yield of 70.6%. Volatilization of the oxidant may explain low yields. Reaction with the more volatile FeCl3 in NaCl-CaCl2 at 600 °C resulted in 80.7% yield. Open circuit potential measurements were made and yielded values consistent with very high selectivity for UCl3 rather than UCl4.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from Idaho National Laboratory through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Versatile Test Reactor program for work performed by M. Newton and D.E. Hamilton. Support for H. Zhang was provided through the Wei Bei Hu Scholarship fund in the University of Utah College of Mines and Earth Sciences. Technical guidance and leadership from Joel McDuffee of Oak Ridge National Laboratory is also gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, 122 S. Central Campus Dr., Salt Lake City, UT, 84107, USA

    Huan Zhang, Matthew L. Newton, D. Ethan Hamilton & Michael F. Simpson

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  1. Huan Zhang
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  2. Matthew L. Newton
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  3. D. Ethan Hamilton
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  4. Michael F. Simpson
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Correspondence to Michael F. Simpson.

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Zhang, H., Newton, M.L., Hamilton, D.E. et al. High temperature UCl3 synthesis in molten salt mixtures via reaction of U metal with iron chlorides. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 383–390 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08060-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08060-9

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