Low-Temperature Oxidation of Fine UO Powders: Thermochemistry and Kinetics.

The thermochemical behavior of low-temperature oxidation in fine UO powders has been investigated by simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The evaluation of the thermochemical and kinetic data reveals a complex interplay between different mechanisms. The initial reaction concerns the rapid chemisorption of oxygen gas onto the surface of UO grains, having an activation energy of only 13.1 ± 0.6 kJ mol. The subsequent oxidation at temperatures between 40 and 100 °C occurs first at the surface via a field-assisted mechanism, which progresses via domain growth into the bulk. At more elevated temperatures, thermally activated diffusion becomes the dominant mechanism.