Characteristics of Electrodeposited Uranium Films of Uranium Ore Water Samples

Key words: 
• ammonium sulphate /
• electrodeposition /
• uranium /
• infrared spectrum /
• scanning electron microscopy

Abstract: Characteristics of electrodeposited uranium films of uranium ore water sample in ammonium sulphate was investigated in this work. The optimized electrodeposited conditions were as follows： electrolyte was ammonium sulphate of 0.8 M， and current density at the cathode was 0.6 A/cm2， electrolyte pH value was 2.5， the time of plating on the electrodeposition was 1 h. In this situation， the uniform， thin and adheresive films were produced by electrodeposition method. Two samples were made， one electrodeposition of pure uranyl nitrate， and another electrodeposition of uranium ore water sample after chemical separation. Characteristics of electrodeposited uranium films of uranium ore water sample after chemical separation was studied， making comparisons with electrodeposited films of uranyl nitrate. The analysis of film characteristics was done through infrared (IR) spectrum， scanning electron microscopy(SEM)， element analysis and α spectrum measurment. According to Fourier transform infrared spectra， the asymmetric stretching vibration band of uranyl group is around 887 cm-1. In addition， according to IR spectrum， we know that uranium exists mainly as the form of hydrated polymeric compound in the film. Electrodeposited uranium films also included many NH+4. Polymeric structures of variable composition were present in the electrodeposited samples， with the unit monomeric formula UO2(OH)2·xNH3·yH2O or UO2(OH)2-x·(ONH4)x·yH2O. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the two samples have similar surface characteristics and no cluster is observed. The samples were also measured by spectrometer equipped with Passivated Implanted Planar Silicon(PIPS) detector. From the α spectrum， we know that isotopes of uranium in the film are 238U and 234U. 235U is not found in the α spectrum. It also shows that the chemical separation process can isolate uranium from other interfering elements effectively， the result of chemical separation is very satisfactory and electrodeposited process is rather efficient. Source electrodeposited in ammonium sulphate through optimized conditions satisfies the need of highresolution α spectrum.