Identification of the Diffusing Species in Uranium Oxidation

Abstract

Marker experiments were carried out to determine whether uranium or oxygen diffused through the oxide film during oxidation reactions at 200 deg C in 200 mm of oxygen. In one method, metallographic examination was used to establish whether an inert marker would become buried in the oxide and if two impinging oxide films would fuse together. The second method used involved an alpha -counting technique to locate a marker of enriched uranium. Each of the experiments demonstrated conclusively that oxygen, rather than uranium, diffused through the oxide layer during oxidation. (M.C.G.)