Investigation of the Mechanism of Formation of Insertion Compounds of Uranium Oxides by Voltammetric Reduction of the Solid Phase after Mechanical Transfer to a Carbon Electrode

Abstract

Cyclic voltammetry in aqueous electrolyte of uranium oxides (, , and ) mechanically transferred to a graphite electrode enables the reduction of these solids to be studied over a wide time domain. The results support a mechanism of a U(VI) to U(V) electron transfer coupled to cation diffusion to form a topochemical insertion compound at the solid electrode‐electrolyte interface. Voltammograms indicate the formation of at least two new solid phases for all three oxides with magnesium. Data are consistent with available knowledge and the work suggests that voltammetric studies on mechanically transferred solids may provide a convenient and general method for studying the mechanism of formation of insertion compounds.