Energy Spectrum of Electrons Released in the Associative - Reaction Between Uranium and Oxygen.

In this study the energy spectrum of the electrons released in the Associative Ionization reaction: U + O(,2) (--->) UO(,2)('+) + e has been observed. It is found that in spite of the large exoergicity of the reaction ((TURN)4.6 ev), as much as 80% of the electrons emerge from the reaction with less than 0.5 ev. This implies that the UO(,2)('+) ions are formed in their highly excited states. This result is quite similar to other results reported in literature for the comparable process of Associative Detachment of electrons from negative ions. Data on the distribution of energies of electrons from the La + O(,2) and U + N(,2)O chemi-ionization reactions are also presented.