What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to synthesize nanocrystalline UC2 through the thermal decomposition of uranyl dicarboxylates.

March 12, 2026MRS Advances0 citationsOpen Access

Nanocrystalline UC2 via SPS carbothermal reduction of molecular precursors

ASAdeline SurateauJoint Research Centre OWOlaf WalterJoint Research Centre MCMarco ColognaJoint Research Centre

Key Points

This research aims to synthesize nanocrystalline UC2 through the thermal decomposition of uranyl dicarboxylates.
Synthesized uranyl dicarboxylates using hydrothermal or solvothermal reactions.
Used water or dimethylformamide as solvents for reactions.
Applied spark plasma sintering to thermally decompose precursors.
Successfully obtained single-phase and nanocrystalline UC2.
The phases formed depend on the uranium-to-carbon ratio of the precursor.

Abstract

Abstract Some molecularly well-defined uranyl dicarboxylates are synthesized through the hydrothermal or solvothermal reaction of early dicarboxylic acids with uranyl nitrate, using either water or dimethylformamide (DMF) as the solvent. When these compounds are thermally decomposed in a spark plasma sintering (SPS) device, uranium carbides are formed. The resulting phases are determined by the uranium-to-carbon ratio of the precursor. In the case of the carbothermal reduction (CTR) of uranyl terephthalate, single-phase and nanocrystalline UC 2 is obtained. Graphic Abstract

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