• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2005

The electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide in a LiCl-Li$_{2}$O molten salt system has been studied in a 10 g U$_{3}$O$_{8}$ /batch-scale experimental apparatus with an integrated cathode assembly at 650$^{\circ}C$. The integrated cathode assembly consists of an electric conductor, the uranium oxide to be reduced and the membrane for loading the uranium oxide. From the cyclic voltammograms for the LiCl-3 wt$\%$ Li$_{2}$O system and the U$_{3}$O$_{8}$-LiCl-3 wt$\%$ Li$_{2}$O system according to the materials of the membrane in the cathode assembly, the mechanisms of the predominant reduction reactions in the electrolytic reactor cell were to be understood; direct and indirect electrolytic reduction of uranium oxide. Direct and indirect electrolytic reductions have been performed with the integrated cathode assembly. Using the 325-mesh stainless steel screen the uranium oxide failed to be reduced to uranium metal by a direct and indirect electrolytic reduction because of a low current efficiency and with the porous magnesia membrane the uranium oxide was reduced successfully to uranium metal by an indirect electrolytic reduction because of a high current efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Radioactive Waste Society Conference
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• 2004.06a
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• pp.268-277
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• 2004

process (ACP), electrochemical properties of high heat-generating alkali and alkali earth oxides in molten salt were measured and the behavior of those elements were analyzed. The reduction potentials of Cs, Sr, and Ba in a molten LiCl-$Li_2O$ system were more cathodic than that of Li and closely located one another. Thus, it is expected that the alkali and alkali earth would not hinder the reaction mechanism which is via lithium reduction. Alkali and alkali earth metals are likely to recycle into molten salt when the process is operated beyond metal reduction potentials and the effect of electric current on the mass transport is also determined by measuring the metal concentrations in the molten salt phase at different current conditions.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.415-420
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• 2020

Strontium is known as a salt-soluble element during the electrolytic oxide reduction (EOR) process. The chemical behavior of SrO during EOR was investigated via thermodynamic calculations to provide quantitative data on the chemical status of Sr. To achieve this, thermodynamic calculations were conducted using HSC chemistry software for various EOR conditions. It was revealed that SrO reacts with LiCl salt to produce SrCl₂, even in the presence of Li₂O, and that the ratio of SrCl₂ depends on the initial concentration of Li₂O dissolved in LiCl. It was found that SrO reacts with Li to produce Sr during EOR and that the reduced Sr reacts with LiCl salt to produce SrCl₂. As a result, the proportions of metallic forms were lower in Sr than in La and Nd under various EOR conditions. The thermodynamic calculations indicated that the three chemical forms of SrO, SrCl₂, and Sr co-exist in the EOR system under an equilibrium with Li, Li₂O, and LiCl.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2014

New green phosphor is synthesized by reducing $LiAlO_2:xEu^{3+}$ phosphors in a low pressure $H_2$ atmosphere. The $LiAlO_2:xEu^{3+}$ prepared by a solid state reaction method is reported as red phosphor. The effect of the reduction treatment on the $LiAlO_2:xEu^{3+}$ on the crystalline phase change and photoluminescence (PL) property are characterized. The reduced phosphor had a broad green light spectrum centered at 524 nm. The PL intensity of the reduced phosphor increased to a maximum at the reduction temperature of $1100^{\circ}C$. The PL intensity decreased with a further increase in the reduction temperature. The crystalline phase constituting the reduced phosphor varied with the temperature. A new crystalline phase $Li_2Al_4O_7$ was observed at $1100^{\circ}C$. The origin of the green-light emission is discussed in relation to the crystalline phase change.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.138-144
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• 2013

Electrochemical reductions of $UO_2$ at various anode-to-cathode distances (1.3, 2.3, 3.2, 3.7 and 5.8 cm) were carried out to investigate the effect of the anode-to-cathode distance on the electrochemical reduction rate. The geometry of the electrolysis cell in this study, apart from the anode-to-cathode distance, was identical for all of the electrolysis runs. Porous $UO_2$ pellets were electrolyzed by controlling a constant cell voltage in molten $Li_2O-LiCl$ at $650^{\circ}C$. A steel basket containing the porous $UO_2$ pellets and a platinum plate were used as the cathode and anode, respectively. The metallic products were characterized by means of a thermogravimetric analyzer, an X-ray diffractometer and a scanning electron microscope. The electrolysis runs conducted during this study revealed that a short anode-to-cathode distance is advantageous to achieve a high current density and accelerate the electrochemical reduction process.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.156-160
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• 2015

Experiments using a metal oxide of a non-nuclear material as a fuel are very useful to develop a new electrolytic reducer for pyroprocessing. In this study, the titanium oxides (TiO and $TiO_2$) were selected and investigated as the non-nuclear fuel for the electrolytic reduction. The immersion tests of TiO and $TiO_2$ in a molten 1.0 wt.% $Li_2O$-LiCl salt revealed that they have solubility of 156 and 2100 ppm, respectively. Then, the Ti metals were successfully produced after the separate electrolytic reduction of TiO and $TiO_2$ in a molten 1.0 wt.% $Li_2O$-LiCl salt. However, Ti was detected on the platinum anode used for the electrolytic reduction of $TiO_2$ unlike TiO due to the dissolution of $TiO_2$ into the salt.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2003

$LiMn_2O_4$ catalyst for $CO_2$ decomposition was synthesized by oxidation method for 30 min at 600$^{\circ}C$ in an electric furnace under air condition using manganese(II) nitrate $(Mn(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O)$, Lithium nitrate ($LiNO_3$) and Urea $(CO(NH_2)_2)$. The synthesized catalyst was reduced by $H_2$ at various temperatures for 3 hr. The reduction degree of the reduced catalysts were measured using the TGA. And then $CO_2$ decomposition rate was measured using the reduced catalysts. Phase-transitions of the catalysts were observed after $CO_2$ decomposition reaction at an optimal decomposition temperature. As the result of X-ray powder diffraction analysis, the synthesized catalyst was confirmed that the catalyst has the spinel structure, and also confirmed that when it was reduced by $H_2$, the phase of $LiMn_2O_4$ catalyst was transformed into $Li_2MnO_3$ and $Li_{1-2{\delta}}Mn_{2-{\delta}}O_{4-3{\delta}-{\delta}'}$ of tetragonal spinel phase. After $CO_2$ decomposition reaction, it was confirmed that the peak of $LiMn_2O_4$ of spinel phase. The optimal reduction temperature of the catalyst with $H_2$ was confirmed to be 450$^{\circ}C$(maximum weight-increasing ratio 9.47%) in the case of $LiMn_2O_4$ through the TGA analysis. Decomposition rate(%) using the $LiMn_2O_4$ catalyst showed the 67%. The crystal structure of the synthesized $LiMn_2O_4$ observed with a scanning electron microscope(SEM) shows cubic form. After reduction, $LiMn_2O_4$ catalyst became condensed each other to form interface. It was confirmed that after $CO_2$ decomposition, crystal structure of $LiMn_2O_4$ catalyst showed that its particle grew up more than that of reduction. Phase-transition by reduction and $CO_2$ decomposition ; $Li_2MnO_3$ and $Li_{1-2{\delta}}Mn_{2-{\delta}}O_{4-3{\delta}-{\delta}'}$ of tetragonal spinel phase at the first time of $CO_2$ decomposition appear like the same as the above contents. Phase-transition at $2{\sim}5$ time ; $Li_2MnO_3$ and $Li_{1-2{\delta}}Mn_{2-{\delta}}O_{4-3{\delta}-{\delta}'}$ of tetragonal spinel phase by reduction and $LiMn_2O_4$ of spinel phase after $CO_2$ decomposition appear like the same as the first time case. The result of the TGA analysis by catalyst reduction ; The first time, weight of reduced catalyst increased by 9.47%, for 2${\sim}$5 times, weight of reduced catalyst increased by average 2.3% But, in any time, there is little difference in the decomposition ratio of $CO_2$. That is to say, at the first time, it showed 67% in $CO_2$ decomposition rate and after 5 times reaction of $CO_2$ decomposition, it showed 67% nearly the same as the first time.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.1534-1539
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• 2021

This study reports on the dissolution behavior of SrO in LiCl at varying SrO concentrations from low concentrations to excess. The amount of SrO dissolved in the molten salt and the species present upon cooling were determined. The thermal behavior of LiCl containing various concentrations of SrO was investigated. The experimental results were compared with results from the simulated results using the HSC Chemistry software package. Although the reaction of SrO with LiCl in the standard state at 650 ℃ has a slightly positive Gibbs free energy, SrO was found to be highly soluble in LiCl. Experimentally determined SrO concentrations were found to be considerably higher than those present in used nuclear fuel (<2 g/kg). As Sr-90 is one of the most important heat-generating nuclides in used nuclear fuel, this finding will be impactful in the development of fast, simple, and proliferation-resistant heat reduction processes for used nuclear fuel without the need for separating nuclear materials. Heat reduction is important as it decreases both the volume necessary for final disposal and the worker handling risk.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.162-165
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• 1987

The reduction rate of borohydride exchange resin (BER) was greatly enhanced in the presence of lithium salts. Thus 2-heptanone was reduced completely with BER-LiCl in 1 h at room temperature. However, no reduction was observed with BER alone under the same conditions. With this system, organic compounds containing various fuctional groups were examined in ethanol at room temperature. This study revealed that BER-LiCl system exhibits an excellent chemoselectivity for carbonyl group in the presence of other functional groups. Keto esters and epoxy ketones were reduced with BER-LiCl to give the corresponding hydroxy esters and epoxy alcohols with excellent yields. Selective reductions of carbonyl groups were also possible in the presence of other organic compounds containing functional groups such as 1-idooctane, 1-bromooctane, caproamide, hexanenitrile, nitrobenzene, n-butyl disulfide, dimethyl sulfoxide and 1-dodecene.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.87-93
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• 2014

The fluorine-substituted $0.3Li_2MnO_3{\cdot}0.7Li[Mn_{0.60}Ni_{0.25}Co_{0.15}]O_{2-x}F_x$ cathode materials were synthesized by using the transition metal precursor, $LiOH{\cdot}H_2O$ and LiF. This was to facilitate the movement of lithium ions by forming more compact SEI layer and to reduce the dissolution of transition metals. The $0.3Li_2MnO_3{\cdot}0.7Li[Mn_{0.60}Ni_{0.25}Co_{0.15}]O_{2-x}F_x$ cathode material was sphere-shaped and each secondary particle had $10{\sim}15{\mu}m$ in size. The fluorine-substituted cathodes initially delivered low discharge capacity, but it gradually increased until 50th charge-discharge cycles. These results indicated that fluorine substitution gave positive effects on the structural stabilization and resistance reduction in materials.