Plutonium_nitride

Plutonium nitride

Plutonium nitride

Chemical compound


Plutonium nitride is a binary inorganic compound of plutonium and nitrogen with the chemical formula PuN.[1][2]

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Synthesis

Plutonium nitride can be prepared by the reaction of plutonium hydrides with nitrogen or ammonia at a temperature of 650 °C and a pressure of 0.3 kPa.[3]

Another method to prepare plutonium nitride is from the reduction of plutonium(III) iodide with sodium in liquid ammonia:

PuI3 + NH3 + 3Na → PuN + 3NaI

Other reactions can also produce plutonium nitride:[4]

Pu + 1/2N2 +3/2H2 → PuN + 3/2H2 (at 1000°C)
PuCl3 + 1/2N2 +3/2H2 → PuN + 3HCl (at 800–900°C)

Physical properties

Plutonium nitride forms grey crystals in the cubic system with Fm3m space group.[5][6] It can be dissolved electrochemically.[7]

Uses

Plutonium nitride can be used as fuel in nuclear reactors.[8][9]


References

  1. Kotel'nikov, R.B.; Bashlykov, S.N.; Kashtanov, A.I.; Men'shikova, T.S. (1978). Plutonium nitride and plutonium nitride base fuel materials. Nitrid plutoniya i toplivnye materialy na osnove nitrida plutoniya. Atomizdat. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  2. Ahrland, S.; Bagnall, K. W.; Brown, D. (7 June 2016). The Chemistry of the Actinides: Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier. p. 343. ISBN 978-1-4831-5934-8. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  3. Thomas, Charles Allen (1944). The Chemistry, Purification and Metallurgy of Plutonium. Office of Technical Information. p. 128. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  4. "WebElements Periodic Table » Plutonium » plutonium nitride". winter.group.shef.ac.uk. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  5. Shirai, O; Iwai, T; Shiozawa, K; Suzuki, Y; Sakamura, Y; Inoue, T (1 February 2000). "Electrolysis of plutonium nitride in LiCl–KCl eutectic melts". Journal of Nuclear Materials. 277 (2): 226–230. Bibcode:2000JNuM..277..226S. doi:10.1016/S0022-3115(99)00194-4. ISSN 0022-3115. Retrieved 3 February 2024.

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