Low temperature oxidation of plutonium

Journal Article · Wed May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.4802596· OSTI ID:22116045

Nelson, Art J. ^[1]; Roussel, Paul ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)
2. AWE, Aldermaston, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 4PR (United Kingdom)

The initial oxidation of gallium stabilized {delta}-plutonium metal at 193 K has been followed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. On exposure to Langmuir quantities of oxygen, plutonium rapidly forms a trivalent oxide followed by a tetravalent plutonium oxide. The growth modes of both oxides have been determined. Warming the sample in vacuum, the tetravalent oxide reduces to the trivalent oxide. The kinetics of this reduction reaction have followed and the activation energy has been determined to be 38.8 kJ mol{sup -1}.

• OSTI ID: 22116045
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Vol. 31, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0734-2101
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ASTATINE 193
GALLIUM
OXIDATION
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
REACTION KINETICS
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY