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U.S. Department of Energy
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Research on plutonium nitride

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4229398
PuN has been prepared as a pure, stoichiometric compound by reacting plutonium metal with nitrogen in the presence of hydrogen. The nitride crystallizes in the rock-salt system with a lattice parameter ranging from 4.9033A for oxygen-free PuN to about 4.908A for oxygen-saturated PuN. Excess oxygen is present as PuO{sub 2} at low temperatures, but above approx 1000 deg C this reacts with PuN to yield hexagonal Pu{sub 2}O{sub 3}: PuN + 3PuO{sub 2} + 1/2N{sub 2}. When heated in oxygen, PuN oxidizes above 200 deg C at a rate similar to that of UN. Ignition occurs around 280 deg C, depending upon the particle size. The presence of water vapor facilitates oxidation and ignition takes place in wet oxygen at a temperature as low as 90 deg C. Mixed nitrides of composition (U{sub 0.7}Pu{sub 0.3})N have been prepared by hot pressigng above 1500 deg C. These are considerably more resistant than pure PuN to attack by atmospheric moisture.
Research Organization:
Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, England (United Kingdom)
NSA Number:
NSA-21-041636
OSTI ID:
4229398
Report Number(s):
AERE-R--5441
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English