Reprocessing of Uranium Carbide by a Nitride-Carbide Cycle: II- Kinetics of Nitride Conversion to Carbide

Technical Report · Thu Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1964

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4692476· OSTI ID:4692476

Hanson, L. A. ^[1]

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1. North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, CA (United States). Atomics International Div.

The reconversion of uranium nitride-carbon mixtures (obtained by reacting UC with nitrogen) to uranium carbide has been investigated as one step in a nitride-carbide cycle for UC fuel reprocessing. Reaction rates were determined by measuring the evolution of nitrogen from samples heated in vacuum in a thermogravimetric balance. The reaction of U₂N₃ + C occurs in two steps; by decomposition to UN, then by conversion to UC. The kinetics of the decomposition of uranium sesquinitride, without carbon present, to uranium mononitride was studied for comparison with the U₂N₃ + C decomposition. Comparison of the results indicate the sesquinitride containing carbon decomposed at a much lower rate with a higher activation energy. The activation energies for the reactions studied were (1) 90.6 ± 11.8 kcal/mol for the decomposition of U₂N₃ + C to UN + C by a linear rate law, (2) 64.4 ± 7.7 kcal/mol for the decomposition of U₂N₃ to UN based on a linear rate law, and (3) 31.3 ± 1.1 kcal/mol for conversion of UN + C to UC by a parabolic rate law.

• Research Organization: North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, CA (United States). Atomics International Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-8
• NSA Number: NSA-19-000345
• OSTI ID: 4692476
• Report Number(s): NAA-SR--9161
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
CARBON
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY
FUELS
HEATING
IRRADIATION
NITROGEN
REACTION KINETICS
REPROCESSING
SOLUTIONS
URANIUM CARBIDES
URANIUM NITRIDES
VACUUM