Abstract
ThN powder, prepared by the reaction of metallic thorium with nitrogen and subsequently by the decomposion of the formed Th3N4, was intimately mixed with Th and ThO2 in various ratios.
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oindentThese mixtures compacted in a disc form were heated at 1600°C for 17 hr or 1800°C for 5 hr in vacuum. Ceramographic, X-ray and chemical analysis of the samples showed a limited oxygen dissolution in ThN under these conditions. The main results thus obtained are as follows:
(1) The composition of the resulting ThN phase with maximum solubility of oxygen is ThN0.79O0.19 at 1600°C and ThN0.71O0.30 at 1800°C. The ThN phase seems to dissolve oxygen along the line from ThN to hypothetical (ThO).
(2) The lattice parameters of ThN0.79O0.19 and ThN0.71O0.30 respectively decrease to 5.157±0.001 Å and 5.155±0.001 Å from that of original ThN (5.158∼5.159 Å).
