UO3

uranium trioxide · uranyl oxide

Uranium trioxide is a stable, semiconducting uranium oxide widely used as a chemical intermediate in nuclear fuel production.

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Crystal structure of UO3
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About uranium trioxide

Uranium trioxide is a thermodynamically stable oxide that serves as a critical intermediate in the processing and refinement of uranium. As a semiconducting material, it exhibits complex structural chemistry, with numerous distinct phases identified through extensive experimental and computational research.

Its significance lies primarily in its role within the nuclear fuel cycle, where it acts as a precursor for the production of other uranium compounds. The material's stability and chemical versatility make it a focal point for understanding actinide oxide behavior in industrial and geological contexts.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for uranium trioxide, aggregated across 4 databases.

Band Gap

0.47–1.90 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

43
4 databases, 16 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting UO3.

Solid State
Procedure available · ceder_solid_state
Uses

Applications

Where uranium trioxide is used.

Nuclear fuel cycle processingPrecursor for uranium hexafluoride productionCatalysis researchActinide chemistry studies
Intellectual Property

Patent Landscape

2 patents reference UO3 or close compositional variants.

PatentTitleAssigneeGranted
8628733Method for preparing uranium concentrates by fluidized bed precipitation, and preparation of UO3 and U3O8 by d——
9045350Method for converting UO3 or U3O8 into hydrated UO4——
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about uranium trioxide, answered from cross-validated data.

What is UO3?

Uranium trioxide is a stable, semiconducting uranium oxide widely used as a chemical intermediate in nuclear fuel production.

More questions
What is UO3 used for?
uranium trioxide (UO3) is used in nuclear fuel cycle processing, precursor for uranium hexafluoride production, catalysis research, and actinide chemistry studies.
What is the band gap of UO3?
uranium trioxide (UO3) has a DFT-computed band gap of 0.47–1.90 eV across 43 reported structures.
Is UO3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a band gap up to 1.90 eV it is a semiconductor.
Is UO3 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — uranium trioxide (UO3) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of UO3 are known?
43 structures of UO3 are reported across 4 databases, spanning 16 distinct space groups.
How is UO3 synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for UO3 include solid state.
What elements does UO3 contain?
uranium trioxide (UO3) contains O and U (2 elements).
Where does the data for UO3 come from?
UO3 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

As a fundamental oxide in uranium chemistry, uranium trioxide stands as a primary reference point for actinide-based materials. It represents a stable endpoint in the oxidation of uranium, serving as a key benchmark for evaluating the structural and electronic properties of higher-order uranium oxides.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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