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Results for “simple uranium compounds”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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8 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Studying f-Electron Contributions in Thorium and Uranium Containing Molecules

The pure rotational spectra of several actinide-containing compounds have been improved upon and, in two cases, been recorded for the first time. The diatomic molecules HfS and ThS have been studied in their ground electronic states but high vibrationally excited states. The results have yielded very accurate locations of the minima of the potential energy curves. The asymmetric molecules OThS and UO2S have been prepared by laser ablation synthesis and their pure rotational spectra recorded for the first time. Precise information pertinent to the geometric and electronic structure of these molecules has been obtained and is compared with other, newly recorded and related species such as OCeS.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sample screening of uranium ore concentrates using portable spectrophotometers: investigating the correlation between visible colors and chemical signatures

A research collaboration between the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration examined nuclear forensic signatures and analytical methods for tracing the origins of uranium ore concentrates (UOCs). Here, this study focuses on utilizing portable spectrophotometers capable of reflectance measurements in the visible light spectrum as a potential rapid screening tool for nuclear forensics analysis. Unlike laboratory-based near-infrared spectroscopy or digital image analysis, this research investigated the potential to correlate visible color measurements with key nuclear forensics signatures using seven types of UOC samples with known origins and three UOC certified reference materials. Results demonstrated that distinct color groups, quantified using CIELAB values, correlated with major uranium compounds. Furthermore, the findings indicated that trace elements can influence the UOC colors, providing additional insights into material characteristics. Although this approach requires further validation across a broader range of UOC species, this study demonstrated that simple colorimetric analysis using visible spectrophotometry, which does not require complex sample preparation or data processing, can serve as a practical and novel rapid tool for preliminary screening and attribution in nuclear forensics investigations.

and nuclear chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2021

Hyperstoichiometric Uranium Dioxides: Rapid Synthesis and Irradiation-Induced Structural Changes

Uranium dioxide (UO 2 ), the primary fuel for commercial nuclear reactors, incorporates excess oxygen forming a series of hyperstoichiometric oxides. Thin layers of these oxides, such as UO 2.12 , form readily on the fuel surface and influence its properties, performance, and potentially geologic disposal. This work reports a rapid and straightforward combustion process in uranyl nitrate–glycine–water solutions to prepare UO 2.12 nanomaterials and thin films. We also report on the investigation of the structural changes induced in the material by irradiation. Despite the simple processing aspects, the combustion synthesis of UO 2.12 has a sophisticated chemical mechanism involving several exothermic steps. Raman spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal the formation of a complex compound containing the uranyl moiety, glycine, H 2 O, and NO 3 – groups in reactive solutions and dried combustion precursors. Combustion diagnostic methods, gas-phase mass spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and extracted activation energies from DSC measurements show that the rate-limiting step of the process is the reaction of ammonia with nitrogen oxides formed from the decomposition of glycine and uranyl nitrate, respectively. However, the exothermic decomposition of the complex compound determines the maximum temperature of the process. In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging and electron diffraction measurements show that the decomposition of the complex compound directly produces UO 2 . The incorporation of oxygen at the cooling stage of the combustion process is responsible for the formation of UO 2.12 . Spin coating of the solutions and brief annealing at 670 K allow the deposition of uniform films of UO 2.12 with thicknesses up to 300 nm on an aluminum substrate. Irradiation of films with Ar 2+ ions (1.7 MeV energy, a fluence of up to 1 × 10 17 ions/cm 2 ) shows unusual defect-simulated grain growth and enhanced chemical mixing of UO 2.12 with the substrate due to the high uranium ion diffusion in films. As a result, the method described in this work allows the preparation of actinide oxide targets for fundamental nuclear science research and studies associated with stockpile stewardship.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2025

A simple and practical wax-encapsulation method for air-sensitive XAS samples

To facilitate X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements of air-sensitive samples, we present a simple method in which materials are encased in common paraffin wax to protect them from air and moisture. We demonstrate the efficacy of this approach using a highly reducing, air- and moisture-sensitive uranium(III) complex, the tris(amide) U[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 3 (1). When finely dispersed in a boron nitride matrix and subsequently encased in inert paraffin wax, samples of 1 remain stable with no visible or spectroscopic degradation after several days under ambient conditions. The viability of this method for XAS measurements was further evaluated across a series of uranium compounds, ranging from uranyl species to highly air- and moisture-sensitive molecular complexes, at the uranium L 3 -edge. Edge energy determinations were highly reproducible (±0.1 eV between replicates) and, where available, showed excellent agreement with literature values. In conclusion, this low-cost, effective, and versatile method offers a viable solution for XAS studies of air-sensitive compounds and materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Venturing Past Uranium: Synthesis of a Np(IV) Polyoxomolybdate–Alkoxide Sandwich Complex

The synthesis of a Np(IV) polyoxomolybdate– alkoxide sandwich complex, (TBA) 2 [Np{Mo 5 O 13 (OMe) 4 NO} 2 ] (TBA = tetrabutylammonium), is reported. This compound represents a rare example of a neptunium polyoxometalate cluster isolated outside of water, allowing for characterization of its electrochemical properties in nonaqueous solvents. Complexation of An(IV) cations fine-tunes the redox properties of the cluster, with the observed four reversible reductive events varying slightly both in potential and peak separation depending on the actinide present. The new Np(IV) complex also shows an irreversible event assigned to oxidation of Np(IV) to Np(V). New methodology for facile 17 O enrichment of (TBA) 2 [Mo 5 O 13 (OMe) 4 NO][Na(MeOH)] is presented, which provides a simple pathway to 17 O enriched analogues of the sandwich complexes discussed (Zr(IV), Hf(IV), Th(IV), U(IV), U(V), Np(IV)). 17 O NMR spectroscopy subsequently provides insights into both the nature of metal–oxygen bonding, as well as the influence of unpaired f-electrons on the local environment of the oxygen nuclei.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Chemical state mapping of simulant Chernobyl lava-like fuel containing material using micro-focused synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy

Uranium speciation and redox behaviour is of critical importance in the nuclear fuel cycle. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) is commonly used to probe the oxidation state and speciation of uranium, and other elements, at the macroscopic and microscopic scale, within nuclear materials. Two-dimensional (2D) speciation maps, derived from microfocus X-ray fluorescence and XANES data, provide essential information on the spatial variation and gradients of the oxidation state of redox active elements such as uranium. In the present work, we elaborate and evaluate approaches to the construction of 2D speciation maps, in an effort to maximize sensitivity to the U oxidation state at the U L 3 -edge, applied to a suite of synthetic Chernobyl lava specimens. Our analysis shows that calibration of speciation maps can be improved by determination of the normalized X-ray absorption at excitation energies selected to maximize oxidation state contrast. The maps are calibrated to the normalized absorption of U L 3 XANES spectra of relevant reference compounds, modelled using a combination of arctangent and pseudo-Voigt functions (to represent the photoelectric absorption and multiple-scattering contributions). We validate this approach by microfocus X-ray diffraction and XANES analysis of points of interest, which afford average U oxidation states in excellent agreement with those estimated from the chemical state maps. This simple and easy-to-implement approach is general and transferrable, and will assist in the future analysis of real lava-like fuel-containing materials to understand their environmental degradation, which is a source of radioactive dust production within the Chernobyl shelter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Development of Spectroscopic Tools for Nuclear Forensics Signatures Development

Diversion of nuclear materialsfrom legitimate commercial processes for use by nefarious actors is a frightening and surreptitious problem. Smuggled nuclear material can be used to manufacture a simple radiological dispersion device (RDD) and potentially incorporated into the development of a nuclear weapon. With some frequency, smuggled nuclear material is interdicted in foreign countries as actors cross border checkpoints. Nuclear material interdicted in this way can be analyzed using a variety of tools. Plutonium-239 is commonly used as the fissile material in nuclear weapon production as an alternative to uranium-235. Plutonium in a production, refining, or finishing facility will exist in many forms including oxide precursors (PuF4, PuF3, Pu oxalate, etc.), oxide, and metal. The ability to identify plutonium in each of these forms and determine properties, characteristics, or history of these materials is crucial for determining if the processes occurring in a nuclear facility are legitimate or not. This presentation will focus on the development and application ofspectroscopic tools developed at SRNL using doubled-walled cells (DWC) to characterize Pu-bearing compounds. Advances in the use of vibrational spectroscopy techniques (Raman and IR), UV-VIS-SWIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, gamma emission spectroscopy, luminescence spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in conjunction with XRD and SEM in the characterization of Pu-bearing compounds will be presented with emphasis in material processing history.

Villa-Aleman, Eliel↗
DOE OSTI2020

First Principle based Thermal Conductivity Modeling of Metal Alloys with Applications on Uranium Alloys

Thermal conductivity is an important materials property related to heat transport, which is essential to many applications, ranging from thermoelectrics to nuclear reactor materials. High- quality thermal conductivity data is critical to these materials and their associated technologies, including the nuclear fuel materials like traditional oxide fuels and metallic uranium (U) fuels, e.g. U-Zr and U-Mo alloys. And thermal conductivity modeling is widely used to interpolate or extrapolate experimental data, to obtain high-quality thermal conductivity data over wide temperature and composition range, and to understand the impacts of different factors including defects and microstructures. However, a general thermal conductivity model for metal alloys which can work regrading different phase components is still missing. Also, for U alloys, a thermal conductivity model working with different phases is needed. Therefore, in this work, we developed thermal conductivity models for metal alloys, based on ab-initio calculations, semi-classical physics rules, and limited experimental data. The goals of these models are to help obtain high- quality thermal conductivity data within a little experimental input as possible, have models that are extendable to varying microstructures, including different types of irradiation effects, and provide mechanistic understanding of heat transfer in the modeled alloys. In this work, our model solves several challenges in the development. The DFT-BTE approach is applied to decrease the reliance on experimental data and make the model extendable to composition changes and defects. A practical and efficient way to combine the DFT inputs with physics rules is pointed out in this work too. A staged approach, which starts from simple cases of elemental metals, then extends to solid solutions, different compound phases, and multi-phase mixtures, is presented to work with the metal alloys in different phase components. Our models are demonstrated respectively on aU for elemental metal model, on U-Zr and U-Mo alloys in aU temperature range for multi-phase mixture model, on high-temperature U-Zr, U-Nb, and U-Mo alloys in the body-centered cubic phase for concentrated solid solution model, and on irradiated U-Mo alloys for irradiated metal alloy model. All models show great agreement with experimental data. In these demonstrations, our model shows its advantages compared to previous empirical fitting model. Our model requires fewer experimental data, due to the inputs from DFT. The quantitative insights into the different physical factors are provided in our model, as it incorporates the electron and phonon scattering mechanisms. Our model also can be extended to incorporate the contributions of point defects, grain boundaries, and noble gas bubbles, to integrate their effects on heat transfer. This model can serve as both a foundation for understanding the more complex thermal conductivity of realistic U alloy fuels and a useful tool to guide further modeling of thermal conductivity to aid materials and device design.

11 - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗