A novel molten-salt electrochemical cell for investigating the reduction of uranium dioxide to uranium metal by lithium using in situ synchrotron radiation

A novel molten-salt electrochemical cell for investigating the reduction of uranium dioxide to uranium metal by lithium using in situ synchrotron radiation

A novel electrochemical cell has been designed and built to allow for in situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements to be made during reduction of UO2 to U metal in LiCl-KCl at 500°C. The electrochemical cell contains a recessed well at the bottom of the cell into which the working electr...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Journal of synchrotron radiation. - 1994. - 24(2017), Pt 2 vom: 01. März, Seite 439-444
1. Verfasser: Brown, Leon D (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Abdulaziz, Rema, Jervis, Rhodri, Bharath, Vidal, Mason, Thomas J, Atwood, Robert C, Reinhard, Christina, Connor, Leigh D, Inman, Douglas, Brett, Daniel J L, Shearing, Paul R
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2017
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Journal of synchrotron radiation
Schlagworte:Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't cell design energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction molten-salt reduction spent fuel reprocessing
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:A novel electrochemical cell has been designed and built to allow for in situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements to be made during reduction of UO2 to U metal in LiCl-KCl at 500°C. The electrochemical cell contains a recessed well at the bottom of the cell into which the working electrode sits, reducing the beam path for the X-rays through the molten-salt and maximizing the signal-to-noise ratio from the sample. Lithium metal was electrodeposited onto the UO2 working electrode by exposing the working electrode to more negative potentials than the Li deposition potential of the LiCl-KCl eutectic electrolyte. The Li metal acts as a reducing agent for the chemical reduction of UO2 to U, which appears to proceed to completion. All phases were fitted using Le Bail refinement. The cell is expected to be widely applicable to many studies involving molten-salt systems
Beschreibung:Date Completed 11.07.2017
Date Revised 24.03.2024
published: Print-Electronic
Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE
ISSN:1600-5775
DOI:10.1107/S1600577517000625