Mechanism of Metallic Uranium and Bimetallic U-Ga, U-Cd Alloys Electrodeposition in Molten LiCl–KCl–CsCl Eutectic

Speciation and behavior of uranium (III) chloride in the ternary low melting LiCl–KCl–CsCl eutectic was studied by electrochemistry and spectroscopy techniques. Cathodic reduction of U(III) ions on inert (tungsten) and reactive (gallium, cadmium) electrodes was investigated at 623–923 K using cyclic and square wave voltammetry. The potential scan rate was changed from 0.075 to 0.5 V s −1 in all experiments. It was established that the electrochemical reduction process on the inert electrode was irreversible, proceeded in one stage, and was controlled by the charge transfer. Formation of uranium alloys with gallium and cadmium was studied using active liquid Ga and Cd electrodes. Reduction of uranium ions of the reactive electrodes proceeded with considerable depolarization. The effect of current density on the composition of the cathodic product was considered. Conditions for the electrochemical production of alloys of a given composition were determined. The mechanism of the cathodic reduction of U (III) ions to metal on Mo-inert electrode in low melting LiCl-KCl-CsCl eutectic was established. The reactions of formation of bimetallic U-Ga, U-Cd alloys at 623–923 K were studied. The conditions of the electrochemical production of intermetallic compounds of a given composition were found.