The plutonium-oxygen phase diagram
Identification of products formed by the reaction of plutonium metal with liquid water at 23{degree}C indicates that the plutonium-oxygen phase diagram is similar to the cerium-oxygen and praseodymium-oxygen diagrams. Quantitative measurements of H{sub 2} formation and analytical data suggest that a sequence of hydrolysis reactions produces oxide hydrides of trivalent plutonium, Pu{sub 2}O{sub 3}, mixed-valent oxides and PuO{sub 2}. The intermediate oxides are the n {equals} 7, 9, 10 and 12 members of the Pu{sub n}O{sub 2n{minus}2} homologous series. Properties of the residue formed by thermal decomposition of the initial hydrolysis product, plutonium monoxide monhydride (PuOH), are consistent with the formation of metastable plutonium monoxide. Crystal-chemical, thermodynamic, and kinetic factors are evaluated, but definitive assignment of the equilibrium Pu-O diagram is not possible. 22 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/DP
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6952196
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-90-2567; CONF-900846--1; ON: DE90014980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Cermets
& Refractories-- Structure & Phase Studies
38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
400702 -- Radiochemistry & Nuclear Chemistry-- Properties of Radioactive Materials
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ACTINIDES
CERIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DECOMPOSITION
DIAGRAMS
DIFFRACTION
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLYSIS
LYSIS
METALS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PRASEODYMIUM
RARE EARTHS
SCATTERING
SOLVOLYSIS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
WATER
X-RAY DIFFRACTION