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Title: Gas-phase thermal dissociation of uranium hexafluoride: Investigation by the technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis

Abstract

In the gas-phase, uranium hexafluoride decomposes thermally in a quasi-unimolecular reaction to yield uranium pentafluoride and atomic fluorine. We have investigated this reaction using the relatively new technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis, in which a megawatt infrared laser is used to generate short pulses of high gas temperatures under strictly homogeneous conditions. In our investigation, SiF/sub 4/ is used as the sensitizer to absorb energy from a pulsed CO/sub 2/ laser and to transfer this energy by collisions with the reactant gas. Ethyl chloride is used as an external standard ''thermometer'' gas to permit estimation of the unimolecular reaction rate constants by a relative rate approach. When UF/sub 6/ is the reactant, CF/sub 3/Cl is used as reagent to trap atomic fluorine reaction product, forming CF/sub 4/ as a stable indicator which is easily detected by infrared spectroscopy. Using these techniques, we estimate the UF/sub 6/ unimolecular reaction rate constant near the high-pressure limit. In the Appendix, we describe a computer program, written for the IBM PC, which predicts unimolecular rate constants based on the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel theory. Parameterization of the theoretical model is discussed, and recommendations are made for ''appropriate'' input parameters for use in predicting the gas-phase unimolecular reactionmore » rate for UF/sub 6/ as a function of temperature and gas composition and total pressure. 85 refs., 17 figs., 14 tabs.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (K-25), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
6630899
Report Number(s):
K/PS-1187
ON: DE87008955
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OT21400; AC05-84OR21400; W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE; THERMAL DEGRADATION; CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS; INFRARED SPECTRA; URANIUM PENTAFLUORIDE; ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS; FLUORIDES; FLUORINE COMPOUNDS; HALIDES; HALOGEN COMPOUNDS; KINETICS; REACTION KINETICS; SPECTRA; URANIUM COMPOUNDS; URANIUM FLUORIDES; 050400* - Nuclear Fuels- Feed Processing; 360604 - Materials- Corrosion, Erosion, & Degradation

Citation Formats

Bostick, W D, McCulla, W H, and Trowbridge, L D. Gas-phase thermal dissociation of uranium hexafluoride: Investigation by the technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis. United States: N. p., 1987. Web. doi:10.2172/6630899.
Bostick, W D, McCulla, W H, & Trowbridge, L D. Gas-phase thermal dissociation of uranium hexafluoride: Investigation by the technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/6630899
Bostick, W D, McCulla, W H, and Trowbridge, L D. 1987. "Gas-phase thermal dissociation of uranium hexafluoride: Investigation by the technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/6630899. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6630899.
@article{osti_6630899,
title = {Gas-phase thermal dissociation of uranium hexafluoride: Investigation by the technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis},
author = {Bostick, W D and McCulla, W H and Trowbridge, L D},
abstractNote = {In the gas-phase, uranium hexafluoride decomposes thermally in a quasi-unimolecular reaction to yield uranium pentafluoride and atomic fluorine. We have investigated this reaction using the relatively new technique of laser-powered homogeneous pyrolysis, in which a megawatt infrared laser is used to generate short pulses of high gas temperatures under strictly homogeneous conditions. In our investigation, SiF/sub 4/ is used as the sensitizer to absorb energy from a pulsed CO/sub 2/ laser and to transfer this energy by collisions with the reactant gas. Ethyl chloride is used as an external standard ''thermometer'' gas to permit estimation of the unimolecular reaction rate constants by a relative rate approach. When UF/sub 6/ is the reactant, CF/sub 3/Cl is used as reagent to trap atomic fluorine reaction product, forming CF/sub 4/ as a stable indicator which is easily detected by infrared spectroscopy. Using these techniques, we estimate the UF/sub 6/ unimolecular reaction rate constant near the high-pressure limit. In the Appendix, we describe a computer program, written for the IBM PC, which predicts unimolecular rate constants based on the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel theory. Parameterization of the theoretical model is discussed, and recommendations are made for ''appropriate'' input parameters for use in predicting the gas-phase unimolecular reaction rate for UF/sub 6/ as a function of temperature and gas composition and total pressure. 85 refs., 17 figs., 14 tabs.},
doi = {10.2172/6630899},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6630899}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1987},
month = {Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1987}
}