ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF URANIUM IN LACTONES - KINETICS AND ELECTRODEPOSITION

The electrochemical reductions of hexavalent and tetravalent uranium a re reported in gamma-butyrolactone, gamma-valerolactone, gamma-octanoi clactone and in the mixed solvent gamma-butyrolactone/tetrahydrofuran. The transient techniques foresee either the formation of uranium diox ide or uranium metal according to a two-step reduction but the presenc e of these cathodic products is difficult to ascertain in controlled p otential electrolysis. While mixing a lactone with tetrahydrofuran, th e reversibility of the electrode reactions increases. The conducting s alt noticeably determines the current yield of uranium deposition. As additional kinetic phenomena are made clear, we found that sampled pol arography is the best method to gain a full understanding of the elect rode mechanisms.