Post-irradiation induction time in the radiolytic synthesis of UO2 nanoparticles in aqueous solutions

Abstract The radiolytic growth process of UO2 nanoparticles in aqueous solutions through electron beam irradiation was investigated. The growth of these nanoparticles was carried out in the aqueous solutions containing different volume fractions of propan-2-ol. Different volume fractions of ethylene glycol along with 10% propan-2-ol in aqueous solutions were used for the investigation of viscosity effect. The growth of UO2 nanoparticles was found to follow a stochastic mechanism. Moreover, the growth of these nanoparticles is always found to be associated with a post-irradiation induction time. This induction time increases with the decrease in the propan-2-ol content and the increase in solvent viscosity, whereas it decreases with the increase in temperature as well as precursor concentration. It is therefore established that the radiolytic formation of UO2 nanoparticles is accompanied by a post-irradiation induction time, which strongly depends on the solvent composition, viscosity, temperature and precursor concentration.