Plutonium trihydride

Plutonium trihydride

Names
IUPAC name Plutonium trihydride
Other names Plutonium(III) hydride
Identifiers
CAS Number	15457-77-9  N
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
InChI InChI=1S/Pu.3H Key: MXUSSOOZHGQFGP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
SMILES [PuH3]
Properties
Chemical formula	PuH3
Molar mass	247 g·mol−1
Appearance	grey crystals
Density	9610 kg/m3
Melting point	327 °C (621 °F; 600 K)
Solubility in water	soluble
Related compounds
Other cations	Americium trihydride Uranium trihydride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Plutonium trihydride is an compound of plutonium and hydrogen with the chemical formula PuH₃. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Synthesis

Plutonium reacts noticeably with hydrogen at room temperature and rapidly when heated: ^[4]

2Pu + 3H₂ → 2PuH₃

Also, heating of plutonium dihydride with hydrogen:

2PuH₂ + H₂ → 2PuH₃

Physical properties

Plutonium trihydride forms grey crystals of hexagonal crystal structure ^{[5] [6]} , space group P6₃/mmc.

Chemical properties

When heated in an ammonia atmosphere, it forms a plutonium nitride: ^[7]

PuH₃ + NH₃ → PuN + 3H₂

It reacts with air: ^[8]

PuH₃ + O₂ + N₂ → Pu₂O₃ + PuN + H₂

References

1. "WebElements Periodic Table » Plutonium » plutonium trihydride". winter.group.shef.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
2. Balasubramanian, K.; Felter, Thomas E.; Anklam, Thomas; Trelenberg, Thomas W.; McLean, William (11 October 2007). "Atomistic level relativistic quantum modelling of plutonium hydrogen reaction". Journal of Alloys and Compounds . 444–445: 447–452. doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2006.11.068 . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
3. Bailar, J. C. (15 October 2013). Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier. p. 141. ISBN   978-1-4832-8313-5 . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
4. Peterson, Sigfred (1955). Fundamental Chemistry for Nuclear Reactor Engineers. U. S. Atomic Energy Commission. p. 80. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
5. Donnay, Joseph Désiré Hubert (1963). Crystal Data; Determinative Tables. American Crystallographic Association. p. 766. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
6. Donnay, Joseph Désiré Hubert (1973). Crystal Data: Inorganic compounds. National Bureau of Standards. p. 221. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
7. Ahrland, S.; Bagnall, K. W.; Brown, D. (7 June 2016). The Chemistry of the Actinides: Comprehensive Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier. p. 150. ISBN   978-1-4831-5934-8 . Retrieved 5 October 2025.
8. Haschke, John M.; Dinh, Long N. (25 March 2017). "Chemistry and kinetics of the pyrophoric plutonium hydride-air reaction". Journal of Alloys and Compounds . 698: 44–48. doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.12.162. ISSN   0925-8388 . Retrieved 5 October 2025.