Thermodynamic properties of uranium in liquid gallium, indium and their alloys

Thermodynamic properties of uranium in gallium–aluminium based alloys

“…Activity of uranium in GaeAl alloys decreases with increasing gallium content, with the difference becoming more pronounced upon lowering temperature, Fig 3. Such behaviour is the opposite of the previously observed in UeGaeIn system [4,28], where the influence of indium content in the alloy on uranium activity decreased with lowering temperature. Partial thermodynamic functions of uranium in GaeAl based alloys were calculated and the results are summarized in Table 1.…”

“…In the lower plot in Fig. 7, the results of the present study are compared with the literature data on uranium solubility in liquid gallium and aluminium [14,20,25,28]. At a given temperature, solubility of uranium is the highest in aluminium and lowest in gallium.…”

“…Upon lowering the temperature, the EMF increased (as could be expected) but then after reaching a certain maximum began to decrease. Previous measurements of the potentials of UeGaeIn alloys vs. uranium at various Ga-to-In ratios always showed monotonous change of EMF of the corresponding galvanic cells with temperature [4,28]. To check reproducibility of such behaviour, the potentials of two-phase UeGaeAl alloys with various GaetoeAl ratios were measured and the results are presented in Fig.…”

“…Taking into account that the lattice parameter of UAl 3 phase, also isostructural with UGa 3 , is 4.2665 ± 0.0005 Å it can be concluded that U(Ga,Al) 3 solid solutions were likely formed in UeGaeAl alloys and the fraction of aluminium in the solid solution increased with increasing Al concentration in the alloy. There is, therefore, again difference with UeGaeIn system, where no U(Ga,In) 3 solid solutions were observed [4,28]. Below 1004 K only orthorhombic UAl 4 phase is expected in UeAl system containing over 90 at% Al [10].…”

“…Experimental cells and procedures employed for the measurements were described previously [28]. In addition, solubility of uranium in GaeAl eutectic alloy was determined from the difference of experimentally measured activity and activity coefficients using the procedure described previously [4].…”