OXYGEN-EVOLVING ANODES FOR THE ELECTROLYSIS OF CALCIUM OXIDE

ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF CALCIUM OXIDE IS AN EFFECTIVE STEP IN THE PROCESSING OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUELS BY THE SALT TRANSPORT PROCESS. IT IS DESIRABLE TO CONDUCT THIS ELECTROLYSIS WITH OXYGEN-EVOLVING ANODES, THEREBY AVOIDING CARBON CONTAMINATION, BUT THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS APPROACH HAS NOT YET BEEN ESTABLISHED. THREE CANDIDATE ANODE MATERIALS WILL BE EXAMINED FOR CAO ELECTROLYSIS IN LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS SIMILAR TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED IN OTHER SYSTEMS. ANODE STABILITY SHALL BE ESTABLISHED AND ELECTROLYSIS CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED AT WHICH NO CHLORINE GAS FORMS. IT IS PLANNED TO EXPAND THE EFFORT TO INCLUDE THE ELECTROLYSIS OF LITHIUM OXIDE.