Dissolution of PuO₂in HNO₃-HF-N₂H₄Medium

Photochemical Dissolution of PuO2 in Hydrochloric Acid Medium at Near Ambient Temperatures

“…A detailed study of Pu0 2 dissolution in HN0 3 -HF-N 2 H 4 medium has been reported from this laboratory [2], and this was extended to reductive dissolution in HCl-hydrazine medium [3]. It was noted in our studies that Pu0 2 could be dissolved in HCl, without employing HF, by using reducing agents such as Fe(II) and N 2 H 4 .…”

“…The photochemical enhancement could probably be due to the following reaction schemes: Pu(III) aq + U(VI) (4) PuCV(solid) + N 2 H 4 -> Pu(III) aq + N 2 (5) C. Pu0 2 (solid) + U(IV)* -Pu(III) aq + U(VI). (6) Of these, scheme A is considered to be the least probable, since the reactions (1), (2) and (3) do not explain the effect of irradiation. The data available at present seem to indicate that both schemes Β and C are possible.…”