Study of phase transformations and infrared spectra of U-Sb catalysts

The effect was studied of stepped annealing on phase composition of a U-Sb compound, synthesized by joint precipitation of uranium and antimonium oxides, of the above oxides taken separately and of the U-Sb catalyst on the Al2O3 carrier. Phase composition was investigated in air, oxygen, nitrogen and helium by means of derivatography and infrared-spectroscopy. It was found that due to calcination-induced interaction between the oxides the U-Sb catalyst obtained by joint precipitation and mixing was not a mere mixture but a complex compound or an alloy of an unknown structure