Efficient preparation of UCl3 by ZnCl2 mediated chlorination

• Published in: Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry Vol. 322; no. 2; pp. 331 - 336
• Main Authors: Lee, Chang Hwa, Kim, Tack-Jin, Yoon, Dalsung, Jang, Junhyuk, Kim, Gha-Young, Lee, Sung-Jai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.11.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Chemical reactions; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chlorination; Diagnostic Radiology; Emission analysis; Hadrons; Heavy Ions; Inductively coupled plasma; Inorganic Chemistry; Lithium chloride; Molten salts; Nuclear Chemistry; Nuclear Physics; Optical emission spectroscopy; Organic chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Plasma; Redox reactions; Zinc chloride; Electrorefining; Uranium chlorination; Chronoamperometry; ZnCl; UCl
• ISSN: 0236-5731; 1588-2780
• DOI: 10.1007/s10967-019-06782-5

U chlorination is demonstrated using electrochemical and chemical reactions with ZnCl 2 in LiCl–KCl molten salts. Voltammetric studies indicate the instantaneous formation of UCl 3 by reaction with ZnCl 2 , along with the redox reactions of Zn and U–Zn alloys. Chronoamperometry was found effective for indirect monitoring of U chlorination reaction that occurs chemically in the salt. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy studies confirm the uniform distribution of UCl 3 product in the salt, and the electrochemically recovered liquid Zn metal settles at the bottom of the reactor.