Depleted uranium metallic properties

Another military use of the actinide metals is in tank armor and armor piercing projectiles. Depleted uranium metal is an extremely dense material, for example, density of a-phase U is 19 g cm, and is only mildly radioactive, half-life of is 4.5 X 10 years. When this metal is incorporated into a projectile, the density and metallic properties allow it to penetrate deeply into heavily armored vehicles. 

Depleted uranium is an excellent metallic substrate for radiation shielding and for armor and ammunition by the military due to its density and pyrophoric properties. Furthermore, the unique ability of uranium-based ammunitions to sharpen themselves upon impact, allowing for deeper penetration of the ammunitions, also makes DU a better substrate for weapons of mass destruction. As such, it is not suprising that the use of DU in military applications is expected to grow. This increased use will no doubt be bolstered by recent scientific studies showing that DU exposure has relatively low adverse health effects, contrary... 

Uranium can also be used for mechanical properties, not just the radioactive properties. Depleted uranium is a form of uranium that has no radioactivity, or at least, has negligible radioactivity. The atom is very dense so any material made using this can be mechanically very strong. It has found favor for many military applications such as the skin of tanks. The depleted uranium can re-enforce the metal making it resistant to artillery fire. It can also be used as ballasts on ships, too. 

As mentioned earlier, specifications for DU whether it is intended for use in munitions, radiation shielding, or aircraft ballast are difficult to find. In any case, the analytical procedures for its characterization, described earlier for other uranium compounds, are valid also for DU. Dissolution of the metal samples in concentrated nitric acid (HF may be added if residues remain) is required for meticulous analysis of impurities by ICP-OES, ICP-MS, or/and other suitable analytical method. Conversion to UjO in a muffle furnace with steam for impurity determination by DC-arc is also an option. Determination of the H, C, N, O, and S content with dedicated instrumentation may also be carried out. On the other hand, the impurity requirements for DU are not as strictly controlled as they are for other nuclear materials. If the depleted uranium is alloyed, as mentioned earlier to improve the mechanical properties, the concentration of the alloying element must be determined according to specifications. 

Uranium is a heavy metal that forms compounds and complexes of different varieties and solubilities. The chemical action of all isotopes and isotopic mixtures of uranium is identical, regardless of the specific activity (i.e., enrichment), because chemical action depends only on chemical properties. Thus, the chemical toxicity of a given amount or weight of natural, depleted, and enriched uranium is identical. 

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