Determination of oxygen/uranium ratio in irradiated uranium dioxide based on dissolution with strong phosphoric acid

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Anal. Chem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ac00293a043· OSTI ID:6271172

Takeishi, H; Muto, H; Aoyagi, H; Adachi, T; Izawa, K; Yoshida, Z; Kawamura, H; Kihara, S

Applicability of a chemical method to the determination of O/U ratio in irradiated uranium dioxide, UO/sub 2+x/, was investigated. A sample piece was taken from the irradiated UO/sub 2+x/ pellet with a diamond cutter and dissolved in strong phosphoric acid (SPA). The O/U ratio was calculated from the amounts of U(IV) and U(VI) in the solution. Oxidation states of uranium after sampling and dissolution were confirmed to be the same as those in the pellet. The stability of U(IV) and U(VI) in the SPA solution with radioactivity was investigated. For the determination of U(IV) and U(VI), two methods based on different principles, flow coulometry and spectrophotometry, were employed to avoid unexpected error. The interference from plutonium and fission products in the determination was reduced by preelectrolysis. The O/U ratio of > 2.001 in UO/sub 2+X/ with < 1 x 10U MW days/ton burnup was determined with flow coulometric detection. Reliability of the results was verified by spectrophotometry. 23 references, 4 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Tokai
• OSTI ID: 6271172
• Journal Information: Anal. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Anal. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 58:2; ISSN ANCHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DATA
DISPERSIONS
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISSION PRODUCTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
INTERFERING ELEMENTS
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
METALS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORIC ACID
PLUTONIUM
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
SOLUTIONS
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM OXIDES
VALENCE
VOLTAMETRY