Plutonium(IV) oxide

Cubic

A = 540 pm

Pu, O

Plutonium dioxide

Yellow-brown crystalline solid

Fixed

11.50 g · cm -3

2400 ° C

2800 ° C

Sparingly soluble in acids

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Plutonium ( IV) oxide, usually referred to as the plutonium dioxide is chemically stable oxide of plutonium. It is a crystalline yellow- brown solid with a high melting temperature.

Properties

Plutonium dioxide is very reactive and is almost unaffected by water or salt water. It can also be sintered to a ceramic material which breaks rather than atomize upon impact in larger fragments.

Plutonium has a cubic crystal system, has the space group Fm3m, the unit cells have a lattice parameter a = 540 pm, the structure type is the type CaF2 ( fluorite ) and the coordination numbers are Pu, O.

Plutonium is an olive to gray- green powder. Single crystals, which can be obtained for example from the melt or from the decomposition of plutonium (IV ) sulfate, are present as black shiny crystals. Microspheres can be prepared in a plasma flame by melting of plutonium dioxide powder, are red-brown to amber.

Production and representation

Plutonium dioxide is formed spontaneously by the oxidation of plutonium metal in an oxidizing atmosphere at normal temperature and pressure.

In the reprocessing of nuclear fuel rods, it is obtained by the plutonium (IV ) oxalate hexahydrate or the decahydrate is calcined at temperatures from 1000 ° C. Also in the heating of the plutonium (IV ) nitrate and Plutoniumperoxid arises.

Use

Sintered plutonium dioxide is used in radionuclide and used as material for fuel rods.

Safety

Classifications according to the Hazardous Substances Ordinance are not available, although the chemical toxicity of plutonium is known. Important are the based on the radioactivity hazards. Plutonium is different depending on the type of radioactive plutonium isotopes used, and the resulting radioactive decay heat at short-lived alpha emitters and hot.