Electrochemical and thermodynamic properties of U4+ and U3+ on Mo electrode in LiCl-KCl eutectic

In this study, UCl4 was prepared by the reaction of HCl gas with UO2 in the LiCl-KCl eutectic. Then, the electrochemical behavior of U4+ and U3+ on a Mo cathode was investigated by various electrochemical techniques. The reduction process of U4+ was regarded as two steps: U4++e=U3+; U3++3e=U. Diffusion coefficients of U4+ and U3+, the apparent standard potential of U4+/U3+, U3+/U as well as U4+/U in the LiCl-KCl molten salt on the Mo electrode was determined by numerous electrochemical methods. The thermodynamic functions of formation of Gibbs free energy of UCl4 and UCl3 are calculated as well.

ELECTRODE POTENTIALS OF THORIUM TETRACHLORIDE IN ALKALI CHLORIDE MELTS

The electrode potentials of the system Th, ThCl4 (KCl, NaCl) were measured at various concentrations of thorium chloride, and at temperatures between 670 °C and 850 °C, using a silver – silver chloride reference electrode. It was shown by a direct gravimetric method that the reaction,Th(metal) + ThCl4(melt) = 2ThCl2(in melt),postulated by previous investigators, did not take place.The activity coefficients, and the other partial molal properties of the solutions of ThCl4, in the equimolar mixture of potassium and sodium chlorides, were calculated as a function of temperature from the e.m.f. measurements.