LAUSR

Abstract We present our findings that uranium (U) metal prepared by using the electrolytic reduction process for U oxide (UO 2 ) in a Li 2 O–LiCl salt can be reoxidized into UO 2 through the reaction between the U metal and Li 2 O in LiCl. Two salt types were used for immersion of the U metal: one was the salt used for electrolytic reduction, and the other was applied to the unused LiCl salts with various concentrations of Li 2 O and Li metal. Our results revealed that the degree of reoxidation increases with the increasing Li 2 O concentration in LiCl and that the presence of the Li metal in LiCl suppresses the reoxidation of the U metal.