Electrochemical extraction of uranium on the gallium and cadmium reactive electrodes in molten salt

Abstract

The electrochemical extraction of uranium in ternary low melting LiCl–KCl–CsCl eutectic on inert and reactive electrodes via different electrochemical techniques was investigated. It was established that the electrochemical reduction process of U(III) ions on the inert W electrode was irreversible and proceeded in one stage. On reactive liquid Ga and liquid Cd electrodes the reduction of uranium ions took place with the considerable depolarization with the formation of UGa2, UGa3 and UCd11 intermetallic compounds. Thermodynamic characteristics of uranium compounds and alloys were calculated. The conditions for the extraction of uranium from the electrolyte in the form of alloys on both liquid reactive electrodes via potentiostatic electrolysis were found.