Dissolution of uranium metal without hydride formation or hydrogen gas generation

This study shows that metallic uranium will cleanly dissolve in carbonate-peroxide solution without generation of hydrogen gas or uranium hydride. Metallic uranium shot, 0.5 to 1 mm diameter, were reacted with ammonium carbonate - hydrogen peroxide solution ranging in concentration from 0.13M to 1.0M carbonate and 0.50M to 2.0M peroxide. The uranium beads were weighed before and after reacting with the etch solution, and from the weights of the beads, their diameters were calculated, before and after the etch. The etch rate on the beads was then calculated from the reduction in bead diameter, and independently by uranium analysis of the solution. The calculated etch rate ranged from about 4 x 10-4 to 8 x 10-4 cm per hour, dependent primarily on the peroxide concentration. A hydrogen analysis of the etched beads showed that no detectable hydrogen was introduced into the uranium metal by the etching process.