X-ray absorption study of molten uranium chloride system

Abstract

The local structure of molten UCl3 in LiCl-KCl eutectic was studied by using a high-temperature X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) technique. The coordination behavior of Cl ion around U3+ ion was investigated by XAFS of the U LIII-absorption edge. The distance and the coordination number of the 1st U3+-Cl correlation were 2.82±0.1 Å and 7.3±0.6, respectively. It is concluded that the uranium ion has trivalent state in the melt by comparing with the XANES spectra of tetravalent uranium compounds and solid UCl3. © 2002 Atomic Energy Society of Japan.