Rapid dissolution of PuO2 analytical samples using mediated electrochemical oxidation

Michael E. Woods; Paul D. Benny; Aaron J. Unger; Supathorn Phongikaroon; Kristian G. Myhre

doi:10.1007/s10967-020-07577-9

Rapid dissolution of PuO₂ analytical samples using mediated electrochemical oxidation

Michael E. Woods, Paul D. Benny, Aaron J. Unger, Supathorn Phongikaroon, Kristian G. Myhre

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Current methods for quantitative dissolution of solid PuO₂ involve lengthy dissolution times. The adaptation of mediated electrochemical oxidation, which uses an electrochemically produced oxidizing agent to catalyze dissolution, has been explored for radiochemical analysis scale dissolutions of PuO₂. The effects of temperature, electrode material, and electrocatalyst on the dissolution kinetics were explored. Under conditions examined in this study, complete dissolution of tens of milligrams of solid PuO₂ can be achieved in less than 1 h at ambient temperature. This methodology could be adapted to dissolve other metal oxides.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	991-995
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Volume	327
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07577-9
State	Published - Feb 2021

Funding

The authors thank Miting Du and Tom Hylton for providing results from the nitric/hydrofluoric acid dissolutions and general discussions on dissolving plutonium oxide. The authors thank the Nuclear Analytical Chemistry and Isotopics Laboratory Group for performing the radioanalytical measurements. Funding for this work was provided by the Science Mission Directorate of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and administered by the US Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, under contract DEAC05-00OR22725.

Keywords

Mediated electrochemical oxidation
Plutonium oxide
Plutonium-238

Access to Document

10.1007/s10967-020-07577-9

Cite this

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title = "Rapid dissolution of PuO2 analytical samples using mediated electrochemical oxidation",

abstract = "Current methods for quantitative dissolution of solid PuO2 involve lengthy dissolution times. The adaptation of mediated electrochemical oxidation, which uses an electrochemically produced oxidizing agent to catalyze dissolution, has been explored for radiochemical analysis scale dissolutions of PuO2. The effects of temperature, electrode material, and electrocatalyst on the dissolution kinetics were explored. Under conditions examined in this study, complete dissolution of tens of milligrams of solid PuO2 can be achieved in less than 1 h at ambient temperature. This methodology could be adapted to dissolve other metal oxides.",

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AU - Woods, Michael E.

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AU - Unger, Aaron J.

AU - Phongikaroon, Supathorn

AU - Myhre, Kristian G.

PY - 2021/2

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N2 - Current methods for quantitative dissolution of solid PuO2 involve lengthy dissolution times. The adaptation of mediated electrochemical oxidation, which uses an electrochemically produced oxidizing agent to catalyze dissolution, has been explored for radiochemical analysis scale dissolutions of PuO2. The effects of temperature, electrode material, and electrocatalyst on the dissolution kinetics were explored. Under conditions examined in this study, complete dissolution of tens of milligrams of solid PuO2 can be achieved in less than 1 h at ambient temperature. This methodology could be adapted to dissolve other metal oxides.

AB - Current methods for quantitative dissolution of solid PuO2 involve lengthy dissolution times. The adaptation of mediated electrochemical oxidation, which uses an electrochemically produced oxidizing agent to catalyze dissolution, has been explored for radiochemical analysis scale dissolutions of PuO2. The effects of temperature, electrode material, and electrocatalyst on the dissolution kinetics were explored. Under conditions examined in this study, complete dissolution of tens of milligrams of solid PuO2 can be achieved in less than 1 h at ambient temperature. This methodology could be adapted to dissolve other metal oxides.

KW - Mediated electrochemical oxidation

KW - Plutonium oxide

KW - Plutonium-238

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