STUDIES ON THE ELECTRO-OXIDATION OF TETRAVALENT URANIUM

Abstract

The conversion of uranous ion to uranyl ion at a platinum anode has been studied over a wide range of current densities and anode potentials. At high current densities, the rate of the oxidation is dependent on the uranous ion concentration and is independent of the particular current density used. At low current densities, the rate of the process increases exponentially with increases in the anode potential and temperature, but is independent of the uranyl ion concentration. It is concluded that at high current densities, the rate of oxidation is limited by the rate of diffusion of uranous ion to the anode, while at low current densities, the rate of the reaction is limited by the slowness in electron transfer between the metallic ion and the anode. A formal correlation is made between the irreversible characteristics of this system and those displayed during the electrodeposition of hydrogen and oxygen from aqueous solution.