Nitride layers on uranium surfaces

In this review, we bring to the readers the achievements and recent advances on the uranium nitridation in the world, including the processing techniques and the related studies on the formation mechanism of the nitride layers, and the understanding on the property-processing-corrosion performance relationship of the layers, aiming at the development of high-performance resistance layers for metallic uranium by the surface nitridation technique. In the review (1) the surface nitridation techniques developed recently, the relationship between the preparation parameters and the composition as well as the structure of the surface layer are summarized; (2) the fundamental physical properties of the uranium nitrides are summarized, depicted and discussed; (3) the influence of the nitrides structure and composition and of the environment on resistance to corrosion as well as the formation mechanism of corroded products in oxidizing environments are depicted and discussed; (4) the potential application of uranium nitrides in other application field such as the application of thermal-electrical conversion is also discussed. Finally, the prospective on the investigations of nitride layers is suggested.