The Electrode Kinetics of UCl3 in LiCl-KCl Molten Salt

Abstract

A comprehension of the electrochemical characteristics of uranium ions is crucial for the efficient separation of uranium from other actinides and fragment elements during electrorefining in pyroprocessing. In this study, cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry were used to study LiCl-KCl-UCl3 molten salt system at 773 K. The BET adsorption model was employed in this study to provide a more comprehensive description of the kinetic process of the reduction of U3+ to uranium metal on the working electrode surface. By comparing the simulated results with experimental data, it is observed that there is a strong agreement between them, indicating an accurate depiction of the redox process of uranium ion. Additionally, this model facilitates the analysis of uranium metal deposition on the electrode surface, thereby further substantiating the rationality and efficacy of the model.