Uranium oxide

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Uranium oxide is an oxide of the element uranium.

The metal uranium forms several oxides:

• Uranium dioxide or uranium(IV) oxide (UO₂, the mineral Uraninite or pitchblende)
• Uranium trioxide or uranium(VI) oxide (UO₃)
• Triuranium octaoxide (U₃O₈, the mineral uranite, the most stable uranium oxide)

Uranium dioxide is oxidized in contact with oxygen to form triuranium octaoxide.

3UO₂ + O₂ → U₃O₈ at 700 °C (970K)

[edit] Preparation 38

During World War II "Preparation 38" was the codename for Uranium Oxide used by the Nazis