Dissolution of uranium metal without hydride formation or hydrogen gas generation

This study shows that metallic uranium will cleanly dissolve in carbonate-peroxide solution without generation of hydrogen gas or uranium hydride. Metallic uranium shot, 0.5–1 mm diameter, was reacted with ammonium carbonate–hydrogen peroxide solutions ranging in concentration from 0.13 M to 1.0 M carbonate and 0.50 M to 2.0 M peroxide. The dissolution rate was calculated from the reduction in bead mass, and independently by uranium analysis of the solution. The calculated dissolution rate ranged from about 4 × 10⁻³ to 8 × 10⁻³ mm/h, dependent primarily on the peroxide concentration. Hydrogen analysis of the etched beads showed that no detectable hydrogen was introduced into the uranium metal by the etching process.