The effect of oxygen concentration on the speciation of laser ablated uranium.

ABSTRACT: In order to model the fate and transport of particles following a nuclear explosion, there must first be an understanding of individual physical and chemical processes that affect particle formation. One interaction pertinent to fireball chemistry and resultant debris formation is that between uranium and oxygen. In this study, we use laser ablation of uranium metal in different concentrations of oxygen gas, either ¹⁶O₂ or ¹⁸O₂, to determine the influence of oxygen on rapidly cooling uranium. Analysis of recovered particulates using infrared absorption and Raman spectroscopies indicate that the micrometer-sized particulates are predominantly amorphous UO_x (am-UO_x, where 3 ≤ x ≤ 4) and UO₂ after ablation in 1 atm o

SUBMITTER: Burton MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8901731 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature