Reaction between U(IV) and H2O2 in hydrochloric acid medium

Kinetic investigations on the reaction between U(IV) and H2O2 have been carried out at different acidities in chloride medium at an ionic strength of 2M. The observed bimolecular rate constant has been found to be dependant on [H+]−1.3. The activation energy of the overall reaction has been found to vary from 13.4 ± 0.7 to 18.0 ± 0.8 kcal/mol in the range of acidity from 0.3 to 1.5M. The results have been explained on the basis of three parallel rate‐controlling reactions involving unhydrolyzed species of U(IV) and hydrolyzed species UCl(OH)2+ and UO2+. The values of the rate constants for these three reaction paths have been found to be of the order of 3.95, 5.59 × 103, and 1.49 × 105M−1 min−1, respectively.