Influence of energetically active carbon on thermodynamics and phase relationship of U-C-N system
Abstract The reactions of UN with graphite and of UN with active carbon have been investigated at 1300°C and 1400°C under a variety of pressures of nitrogen gas. Results show that, at fixed pressure, the nitrogen content of the equilibrium UC-UN solid solution formed in the presence of graphite is higher than in the equilibrium UC-UN solid solution formed in the presence of active carbon. A brief thermodynamic argument explains the result in terms of the differing chemical potentials between graphite and active carbon.