Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology

The electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li2O molten salt system has been studied in a 10 g U3O8/batch-scale experimental apparatus with an integrated cathode assembly at 650 ℃. The integrated cathode assembly consists of an electric conductor, the uranium oxide to be reduced and the membrane for loading the uranium oxide. From the cyclic voltammograms for the LiCl-3 wt% Li2O system and the U3O8-LiCl-3 wt% Li2O system according to the materials of the membrane in the cathode assembly, the mechanisms of the predominant reduction reactions in the electrolytic reactor cell were to be understood; direct and indirect electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide. Direct and indirect electrolytic reductions have been performed with the integrated cathode assembly. Using the 325-mesh stainless steel screen the uranium oxide failed to be reduced to uranium metal by a direct and indirect electrolytic reduction because of a low current efficiency and with the porous magnesia membrane the uranium oxide was reduced successfully to uranium metal by an indirect electrolytic reduction because of a high current efficiency.

Keywords

integrated cathode assembly,electrolytic reduction,cyclic voltammogram,uranium oxide,molten salt