Nuclear forensic signatures and structural analysis of uranyl oxalate, its products of thermal decomposition and Fe impurity dopant

Abstract Uranyl oxalate (UO 2 C O 4 ·xH O) may exist at the back-end of nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) as an intermediate in spent reprocessing. The conditions used aqueous reprocessing and thermal treatment can affect physical chemical properties material. Furthermore, trace impurities, such Fe, incorporate into structure these materials. In forensics, understanding relationships between processing variables aids determination provenance history. this study, decomposition UO ·3H phase analysis its products are examined. Their morphologies discussed with respect to a matrix solution conditions.