Although pentavalent uranium can exist in aqueous solution, its presence in the solid state is uncommon. Metal monouranates, MgUO4, CrUO4 and FeUO4 were synthesized for detailed structural and energetic investigations. Structural characteristics of these uranates used powder X-ray diffraction, synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and (57)Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy. Enthalpies of formation were measured by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided both structural and energetic information. The measured structural and thermodynamic properties show good consistency with those predicted from DFT. The presence of U(5+) has been solidly confirmed in CrUO4 and FeUO4, which are thermodynamically stable compounds, and the origin and stability of U(5+) in the system was elaborated by DFT. The structural and thermodynamic behaviour of U(5+) elucidated in this work is relevant to fundamental actinide redox chemistry and to applications in the nuclear industry and radioactive waste disposal.

Using an electron beam melting (EBM) printing machine (Arcam A2X, Sweden), a matrix of 225 samples (15 rows and 15 columns) of Ti-6Al-4V was produced. The density of the specimens across the tray in the as-built condition was approximately 99.9% of the theoretical density of the alloy, ρT. Tensile strength, tensile elongation, and fatigue life were studied for the as-built samples. Location dependency of the mechanical properties along the build area was observed. Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) slightly increased the density to 99.99% of ρT but drastically improved the fatigue endurance and tensile elongation, probably due to the reduction in the size and the distribution of flaws. The microstructure of the as-built samples contained various defects (e.g., lack of fusion, porosity) that were not observed in the HIP-ed samples. HIP also reduced some of the location related variation in the mechanical properties values, observed in the as-printed condition.

Additively-manufactured Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) exhibits high strength but in some cases inferior elongation to those of conventionally manufactured materials. Post-processing of additively manufactured Ti64 components is investigated to modify the mechanical properties for specific applications while still utilizing the benefits of the additive manufacturing process. The mechanical properties and fatigue resistance of Ti64 samples made by electron beam melting were tested in the as-built state. Several heat treatments (up to 1000 °C) were performed to study their effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Phase content during heating was tested with high reliability by neutron diffraction at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Two different hot isostatic pressings (HIP) cycles were tested, one at low temperature (780 °C), the other is at the standard temperature (920 °C). The results show that lowering the HIP holding temperature retains the fine microstructure (~1% β phase) and the 0.2% proof stress of the as-built samples (1038 MPa), but gives rise to higher elongation (~14%) and better fatigue life. The material subjected to a higher HIP temperature had a coarser microstructure, more residual β phase (~2% difference), displayed slightly lower Vickers hardness (~15 HV10N), 0.2% proof stress (~60 MPa) and ultimate stresses (~40 MPa) than the material HIP’ed at 780 °C, but had superior elongation (~6%) and fatigue resistance. Heat treatment at 1000 °C entirely altered the microstructure (~7% β phase), yield elongation of 13.7% but decrease the 0.2% proof-stress to 927 MPa. The results of the HIP at 780 °C imply it would be beneficial to lower the standard ASTM HIP temperature for Ti6Al4V additively manufactured by electron beam melting.

Nanoscale uranyl peroxide clusters containing UO2(2+) groups bonded through peroxide bridges to form polynuclear molecular species (polyoxometalates) exist both in solution and in the solid state. There is an extensive family of clusters containing 28 uranium atoms (U28 clusters), with an encapsulated anion in the center, for example, [UO2(O2)(3-x)(OH)(x)(4-)], [Nb(O2)4(3-)], or [Ta(O2)4(3-)]. The negative charge of these clusters is balanced by alkali ions, both encapsulated, and located exterior to the cluster. The present study reports measurement of enthalpy of formation for two such U28 compounds, one of which is uranyl centered and the other is peroxotantalate centered. The [(Ta(O2)4]-centered U28 capsule is energetically more stable than the [(UO2)(O2)3]-centered capsule. These data, along with our prior studies on other uranyl-peroxide solids, are used to explore the energy landscape and define thermochemical trends in alkali-uranyl-peroxide systems. It was suggested that the energetic role of charge-balancing alkali ions and their electrostatic interactions with the negatively charged uranyl-peroxide species is the dominant factor in defining energetic stability. These experimental data were supported by DFT calculations, which agree that the [(Ta(O2)4]-centered U28 capsule is more stable than the uranyl-centered capsule. Moreover, the relative stability is controlled by the interactions of the encapsulated alkalis with the encapsulated anion. Thus, the role of alkali-anion interactions was shown to be important at all length scales of uranyl-peroxide species: in both comparing clusters to clusters; and clusters to monomers or extended solids.