Uranyl oxalate explained

Uranyl oxalate (UO₂C₂O₄) is a pale yellow powdered uranyl salt. It is often encountered in industrial nuclear processes at both the front and back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Due to its hygroscopicity, uranyl oxalate rarely exists in the dehydrated state and is usually instead found in the trihydrate form (UO₂C₂O₄·3H₂O) at room temperature.^[1] At room temperature, the powder exhibits a monoclinic crystal structure in the P2₁/c space group.^[2]

Production

Uranyl oxalate trihydrate can be produced by the reaction of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate with oxalic acid.^[3]

Uranyl oxalate has been used in actinometers.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Thompson. Nathan B. A.. Stennett. Martin C.. Gilbert. Matthew R.. Hyatt. Neil C.. 2021-01-06. Nuclear forensic signatures and structural analysis of uranyl oxalate, its products of thermal decomposition and Fe impurity dopant. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry. 327 . 2 . 957–973 . 10.1007/s10967-020-07538-2. 0236-5731. free.
2. Jayadevan. N. C.. Chackraburtty. D. M.. 1972-11-15. The crystal and molecular structure of uranyl oxalate trihydrate. Acta Crystallographica Section B: Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 28. 11. 3178–3182. 10.1107/s0567740872007691. 1972AcCrB..28.3178J . 0567-7408.
3. Tel. H. Bülbül. M. Eral. M. Altaş. Y. November 1999. Preparation and characterization of uranyl oxalate powders. Journal of Nuclear Materials. 275. 2. 146–150. 10.1016/s0022-3115(99)00119-1. 1999JNuM..275..146T. 0022-3115.
4. Book: Bryce-Smith . D. . Photochemistry . 1971 . Royal Society of Chemistry . 978-0-85186-015-2 . 279 . en.