Carbon nanoencapsulation of uranium dicarbide

Abstract Nanoparticles of uranium dicarbide encapsulated in carbon smaller than 100 nm have been obtained by chemical reactions at high temperature. Two types of nanocapsules were identified and characterized. The majority of them had small diffuse kernel surfaces, with dimensions between 5 and 15 nm, surrounded by thick spherical carbon cover. Others, in minor quantity and ranging from 15 to 40 rim, were polyhedrical and surrounded with several perfect graphite layers oriented parallel to their external surface. The nanocapsules are as chemically inert as graphite.