XPS study of external α-radiolytic oxidation of UO2 in the presence of argon or hydrogen
Journal article, 2021

UO2 pellets exposed to 1.85 MBq and 3.30 MBq Am-241 sources with a 30 μm separation in solution were studied under Ar and H2 atmospheres. The 1.85 MBq Am-241 source was shown to have a too low radiolytic production to cause any measurable change in UO2 surface oxidation state. However, a significant oxidation was observed after exposure to the 3.30 MBq source under Ar atmosphere through the production of U(V), as seen from the U4f7/2-peak deconvolution and valence band peak analysis. The H2 atmosphere was shown to suppress the oxidation of the UO2 pellet surface as well as the dissolution in both Milli-Q and NaHCO3 solutions. The dissolved uranium concentration was reduced by a factor 10 under H2 atmosphere as compared to the Ar atmosphere experiments.

UO2

hydrogen effect

dissolution

oxidation

x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

radiolysis

Author

Niklas Hansson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Eric Tam

Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Materials and manufacture

Christian Ekberg

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Kastriot Spahiu

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Energy and Material

Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company

Journal of Nuclear Materials

0022-3115 (ISSN)

Vol. 543 152604

Subject Categories

Inorganic Chemistry

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Metallurgy and Metallic Materials

Roots

Basic sciences

Areas of Advance

Materials Science

DOI

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152604

More information

Latest update

3/10/2021