This project will study the high corrosion problems of depleted uranium (DU) alloys used in kinetic energy (KE) systems and the design of a protective coating that will inhibit corrosion, be self healing, and double the shelf life of these systems.

This will first involve the determination of the nature of the DU surface form the point of view of water insoluble uranium compounds and their stability over a wide range of potential or pH. Second, will be the determination of conditions suitable for oxyanion formation for the self healing of abrasion defects utilizing bipotentiostat techniques that were previously investigated to show the effectiveness Fe and Ni. Third, will be the development of environmentally friendly coatings that are both simple to make and economically viable for the processing of the KE systems. Coatings will be synthesized by Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) at ARL, while electrochemical and surface spectroscopy will be examined at SUNY-SB. There will also be coatings developed at SUNY-SB for solution/dipping procedures that will ensure the formation of insoluble uranium salts at the exposed sites when in a liquid based corrosive environment, such as a humid environment. The possible minimal environmental risk type systems that will be investigated will include: polyphosphates, simple orthomolybdates, heteropolymolybdates, 12-polymolybdophosphate, 2-molybdosilicates, and ammonium heptamolybdates.
Fourth, the protective coatings will be put through extensive real world testing for the issues related to the shelf life and material compatibility of the KE systems.