SimpleChemist-238
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Question about my depleted uranium
I bought a few months ago a vial of uranium 3grams from United Nuke. Its relatively safe from what I hear but I have some questions.
The vial says it pyroforic. Its about 3 little chunks so is it really pyroforic so if i removed it from the argon atmosphere is would combust leaving
uranium oxide vapor in the lab and probably slowly killing me?
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UnintentionalChaos
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Fine uranium powder will combust spontaneously in air and pieces big enough to not combust will still burn somewhat readily from an ignition source.
If you take it out of the argon, the chunks will almost definetly not combust, but you will start them corroding to a blackish surface of
UO2 ruining their visual appeal as an element sample.
[Edited on 9-28-14 by UnintentionalChaos]
Department of Redundancy Department - Now with paperwork!
'In organic synthesis, we call decomposition products "crap", however this is not a IUPAC approved nomenclature.' -Nicodem
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SimpleChemist-238
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the pieces are already black, thanks united nuke but I am afraid there are small pierce in the bag.
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careysub
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You can clean uranium metal with nitric acid - but the acid dissolves uranium metal also, so you will want to use a dilute solution and keep an eye on
it.
Then probably store it under oil or with an oxygen absorber packet.
Chunks of uranium metal do not spontaneously catch fire. Filings, dust or chips can however. You can also set uranium on fire with a hot igniter of
some kind.
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