Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride
Producing gram quantities of uranium metal in a controlled manner by traditional methods is challenging due to the complex chemistry of precursor material and extreme thermal requirements. In this article, a novel approach is reported that combines modeling and an advanced experimental technique for...
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doaj-1a941f1e944341fd83f5ebf0bc0bd95d2020-11-25T03:14:19ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752020-07-01192108706Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitrideBradley C. Childs0Aiden A. Martin1Aurélien Perron2Emily E. Moore3Yaakov Idell4Tae Wook Heo5Debra L. Rosas6Cherie Schaeffer-Cuellar7Ryan L. Stillwell8Per Söderlind9Alexander Landa10Kiel S. Holliday11Jason R. Jeffries12Corresponding author.; Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAPhysical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USAProducing gram quantities of uranium metal in a controlled manner by traditional methods is challenging due to the complex chemistry of precursor material and extreme thermal requirements. In this article, a novel approach is reported that combines modeling and an advanced experimental technique for extracting uranium from a uranium-containing compound. Using uranium nitride as an example, a computational thermodynamic approach identified a decomposition pathway to convert uranium nitride to uranium metal at temperatures exceeding 2500 K under conditions of rapid material cooling. To realize these extreme conditions, laser-induced heating, which enables fine control of process location and rapid cooling, was utilized for high-temperature modification of material. Uranium nitride was irradiated by a controlled laser under several gaseous conditions including high-vacuum, argon, and nitrogen environments, resulting in uranium metal at yields up to 96%. The complete decomposition leading to pure uranium metal occurs at the high temperature surface region, where laser-based heating induces a surface depression and molten pool of material. The observed kinetic phase behaviors in this study fundamentally differ from previous uranium decomposition studies where small uranium metal precipitates from the nitride bulk are formed at the surface of uranium nitride.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127520302409Laser heatingReaction kineticsUraniumUranium nitrideCALPHADThermodynamics |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Bradley C. Childs Aiden A. Martin Aurélien Perron Emily E. Moore Yaakov Idell Tae Wook Heo Debra L. Rosas Cherie Schaeffer-Cuellar Ryan L. Stillwell Per Söderlind Alexander Landa Kiel S. Holliday Jason R. Jeffries |
spellingShingle |
Bradley C. Childs Aiden A. Martin Aurélien Perron Emily E. Moore Yaakov Idell Tae Wook Heo Debra L. Rosas Cherie Schaeffer-Cuellar Ryan L. Stillwell Per Söderlind Alexander Landa Kiel S. Holliday Jason R. Jeffries Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride Materials & Design Laser heating Reaction kinetics Uranium Uranium nitride CALPHAD Thermodynamics |
author_facet |
Bradley C. Childs Aiden A. Martin Aurélien Perron Emily E. Moore Yaakov Idell Tae Wook Heo Debra L. Rosas Cherie Schaeffer-Cuellar Ryan L. Stillwell Per Söderlind Alexander Landa Kiel S. Holliday Jason R. Jeffries |
author_sort |
Bradley C. Childs |
title |
Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride |
title_short |
Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride |
title_full |
Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride |
title_fullStr |
Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride |
title_full_unstemmed |
Formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride |
title_sort |
formation of high purity uranium via laser induced thermal decomposition of uranium nitride |
publisher |
Elsevier |
series |
Materials & Design |
issn |
0264-1275 |
publishDate |
2020-07-01 |
description |
Producing gram quantities of uranium metal in a controlled manner by traditional methods is challenging due to the complex chemistry of precursor material and extreme thermal requirements. In this article, a novel approach is reported that combines modeling and an advanced experimental technique for extracting uranium from a uranium-containing compound. Using uranium nitride as an example, a computational thermodynamic approach identified a decomposition pathway to convert uranium nitride to uranium metal at temperatures exceeding 2500 K under conditions of rapid material cooling. To realize these extreme conditions, laser-induced heating, which enables fine control of process location and rapid cooling, was utilized for high-temperature modification of material. Uranium nitride was irradiated by a controlled laser under several gaseous conditions including high-vacuum, argon, and nitrogen environments, resulting in uranium metal at yields up to 96%. The complete decomposition leading to pure uranium metal occurs at the high temperature surface region, where laser-based heating induces a surface depression and molten pool of material. The observed kinetic phase behaviors in this study fundamentally differ from previous uranium decomposition studies where small uranium metal precipitates from the nitride bulk are formed at the surface of uranium nitride. |
topic |
Laser heating Reaction kinetics Uranium Uranium nitride CALPHAD Thermodynamics |
url |
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127520302409 |
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