Systematic studies were carried out on the oxidation behaviour of uranium dicarbide in air in the temperature range 25 ~ to 700 ~ employing thermogravlmetry, evolved gas detection Xray diffraction and chemical analysis. The mechanistic aspects were investigated and the oxidation was found to proceed through reaction processes involving oxidation of uranium to ct-UO3 with release of chemically bound carbon, reaction of released carbon leading to the formation of CO 2 which gets liberated stepwise, decomposition of ~-UO 3 to U3Os and oxidation of free carbon to CO2. Examination of the thermoanalytical behaviour of sintered graphite, UO3, mixtures of graphite with UO 3 and with U3Os supported the above findings.
John Wiley & Sons, Limited, ChichesterAkad$miai Kiadr, Budapest