Uranium oxide explained

Uranium oxide is an oxide of the element uranium.

The metal uranium forms several oxides:

• Uranium dioxide or uranium(IV) oxide (UO₂, the mineral uraninite or pitchblende)
• Diuranium pentoxide or uranium(V) oxide (U₂O₅)
• Uranium trioxide or uranium(VI) oxide (UO₃)
• Triuranium octoxide (U₃O₈), the most stable uranium oxide; yellowcake typically contains 70 to 90 percent triuranium octoxide)
• Uranyl peroxide (UO₂O₂ or UO₄)
• Amorphous uranium(VI) oxide (Am-U₂O₇)

Uranium dioxide is oxidized in contact with oxygen to form triuranium octoxide.

3 UO₂ + O₂ → U₃O₈; at 700 °C (970 K)

Preparation 38

During World War II, "Preparation 38" was the codename for uranium oxide used by German scientists.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Notes and References

1. Per F. Dahl, Heavy water and the wartime race for nuclear energy (Institute of Physics Publishing, London 1999), p. 135
2. http://www.ibilabs.com/U3O8-MSDS.htm Uranium Oxide International Bio-Analytical Industries, Inc.
3. Book: Hitler's Nuclear Weapons. Geoffrey Brooks. 1992. 9780850523447. 40. Pen and Sword .