Protactinyl nitrate
Protactinyl nitrate, protactinium oxynitrate, or erroneously known as protactinium nitrate, is a radioactive chemical compound with the formula PaO3·xH2O. It is a white solid that readily hydrolyzes to protactinium(V) oxide in moist air. This compound is a common commercial source of protactinium.
Preparation and decomposition
Protactinyl nitrate was first prepared in 1966 by reacting protactinium(V) chloride or protactinium(V) bromide with fuming nitric acid. Lower concentrations of nitric acid cannot be used, due to the hydrolysis of the compound.Protactinyl nitrate decomposes at 400 °C to protactinium(V) oxide.