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

Title A novel molten-salt electrochemical cell for investigating the reduction of uranium dioxide to uranium metal by lithium using in situ synchrotron radiation.
Authors Brown, L.D.; Abdulaziz, R.; Jervis, R.; Bharath, V.; Mason, T.J.; Atwood, R.C.; Reinhard, C.; Connor, L.D.; Inman, D.; Brett, D.J.L.; Shearing, P.R.
Journal J Synchrotron Radiat
DOI 10.1107/S1600577517000625
Abstract

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.

Citation Brown, L.D.; Abdulaziz, R.; Jervis, R.; Bharath, V.; Mason, T.J.; Atwood, R.C.; Reinhard, C.; Connor, L.D.; Inman, D.; Brett, D.J.L.; Shearing, P.R..A novel molten-salt electrochemical cell for investigating the reduction of uranium dioxide to uranium metal by lithium using in situ synchrotron radiation..

Related Elements

Lithium

Lithium Bohr ModelSee more Lithium products. Lithium (atomic symbol: Li, atomic number: 3) is a Block S, Group 1, Period 2 element with an atomic weight of 6.94. The number of electrons in each of Lithium's shells is [2, 1] and its electron configuration is [He] 2s1. The lithium atom has a radius of 152 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 181 pm. Lithium was discovered by Johann Arvedson in 1817 and first isolated by William Thomas Brande in 1821. The origin of the name Lithium comes from the Greek wordlithose which means "stone." Lithium is a member of the alkali group of metals. It has the highest specific heat and electrochemical potential of any element on the period table and the lowest density of any elements that are solid at room temperature. Elemental LithiumCompared to other metals, it has one of the lowest boiling points. In its elemental form, lithium is soft enough to cut with a knife its silvery white appearance quickly darkens when exposed to air. Because of its high reactivity, elemental lithium does not occur in nature. Lithium is the key component of lithium-ion battery technology, which is becoming increasingly more prevalent in electronics.