Also, I did a very simple and interesting reaction that happens when you put uranyl in light with water around, and while this has been known for a long time, to do it on a useful scale you normally need to add some powerful chemicals, and I did it without those.
@Canageek do uranyl salts undergo photoreduction to U(IV) on exposure to visible light?
@mona Yes, but they very quickly react with H2O and O2 to go back to U(VI) :D
@Canageek My sole exposure (if that is the correct word to use) to any uranium chemistry is in carrying out the well-known qualitative test for sodium in solution by precipitation of the mixed acetate NaZn(UO2)3(OAc)9.6H2O, one of the very few slightly soluble sodium salts. I don't suppose anyone carries out this reaction today.
