Electrochemical behavior of uranium(VI) in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and thermal characterization of uranium oxide deposit

The electrochemical behavior of uranyl nitrate in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride at glassy carbon working electrode has been investigated in the temperature range 343-373 K by transient electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and square wave voltammetry. Influence of bulk concentration of uranium and temperature on the electroreduction and transport properties of U(VI) in bmimCl has been examined. Diffusion coefficient (D) and the energy of activation (E_a) of U(VI) in bmimCl has been estimated and is of the order of ∼10⁻⁸ cm²/s and 54 kJ/mol, respectively. Reduction of U(VI) takes place through an irreversible single step two-electron transfer to UO₂ deposit at glassy carbon working electrode. Thermal analysis of the uranium oxide indicated the entrapment of nearly 5% of electrolyte, bmimCl, during electrodeposition, which decomposes in the range 553-653 K.