Synthesis of plutonium trifluoride by hydro-fluorination and novel thermodynamic data for the PuF2-LiF system

PuF3 was synthetized by hydro-fluorination of PuO2 and subsequent reduction of the product by hydrogenation.

The obtained PuF3 was analysed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and found phase-pure. High

purity was also confirmed by the melting point analysis using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).

PuF3 was then used for thermodynamic assessment of the PuF3-LiF system. Phase equilibrium points and

enthalpy of fusion of the eutectic composition were measured by DSC. XRD analyses of selected samples

after DSC measurement confirm that after solidification from the liquid, the system returns to a mixture

of LiF and PuF3.