Electro-synthesis of uranium chloride fuel salts

A method for synthesizing a UCl3—UCl4—NaCl fuel salt comprising:

• providing an amount of UCl4—NaCl salt;
• melting the UCl4—NaCl salt;
• and
• reducing a portion of the UCl4 in the UCl4—NaCl salt to UCl3 by applying an electric current to the UCl4—NaCl salt, thereby creating the UCl3—UCl4—NaCl fuel salt.

A system for the synthesis of UCl3 from UCl4 comprising:

• a vessel having an interior wall defining an electrolysis chamber capable of holding molten UCl3 and UCl4, the interior wall material unreactive with UCl4 and UCl3 at temperatures from 350-900° C. and pressures between 0.5 and 10 atm;
• at least one cathode and at least one anode in electrolysis chamber, the at least one cathode and at least one anode made of material unreactive with UCl4 and UCl3 at temperatures from 350-900° C. and pressures between 0.5 and 10 atm;
• a power source connected to the at least one cathode and at least one anode, the power source capable of creating a potential and applying electric current between the at least one cathode and at least one anode;
• and
• a system controller connected to the power source to control the potential and electric current from the power source between the at least one cathode and at least one anode, the system controller configured to maintain the potential between the at least one cathode and at least one anode within a range that reduces U4+ to U3+ without reducing U3+.