Overall
- Language
- English
- Conflict of Interest
- In relation to this article, we declare that there is no conflict of interest.
- Publication history
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Received July 24, 2025
Revised December 5, 2025
Accepted December 7, 2025
Available online February 25, 2026
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This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0) which permits
unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Most Cited
Thermodynamic Analysis on Oxo-Acidity of Actinide Oxides for Electrolytic Reduction in Molten Lithium Chloride Salt
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-025-00617-8
Abstract
Pyroprocessing is a promising technology for recycling spent nuclear fuel by recovering actinides and reducing radioactive
waste. Electrolytic reduction, a key step in pyroprocessing, converts oxide fuels into metals in a molten LiCl–Li₂O
electrolyte. This study presents a thermodynamic analysis of actinide oxides to construct potential–oxoacidity diagrams
as functions of electrochemical potential and oxide ion activity. Gibbs free energy data were used to analyze reduction
pathways for uranium, plutonium, neptunium, americium, and curium. Results show that oxide ion activity significantly
influences reduction potential, and actinides exhibit distinct reduction paths. Intermediate oxychloride formation is thermodynamically
favored for americium and curium. Estimated cathodic potentials for complete metal formation range from
− 3.23 V to − 3.37 V. Although reaction kinetics are not considered, the diagrams offer valuable insight into phase stability
and feasible process conditions. This thermodynamic approach provides a useful guideline for optimizing electrolytic
reduction conditions and supports future experimental and kinetic investigations.
