Inorganics (Apr 2021)

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Structural Investigation of a Crystalline Uranyl Borosilicate

  • Kristen A. Pace,
  • Vladislav V. Klepov,
  • Mark D. Smith,
  • Travis Williams,
  • Gregory Morrison,
  • Jochen A. Lauterbach,
  • Scott T. Misture,
  • Hans-Conrad zur Loye

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/inorganics9040025
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 4
p. 25

Abstract

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The relevance of multidimensional and porous crystalline materials to nuclear waste remediation and storage applications has motivated exploratory research focused on materials discovery of compounds, such as actinide mixed-oxoanion phases, which exhibit rich structural chemistry. The novel phase K1.8Na1.2[(UO2)BSi4O12] has been synthesized using hydrothermal methods, representing the first example of a uranyl borosilicate. The three-dimensional structure crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmce with lattice parameters a = 15.5471(19) Å, b = 14.3403(17) Å, c = 11.7315(15) Å, and V = 2615.5(6) Å3, and is composed of UO6 octahedra linked by [BSi4O12]5− chains to form a [(UO2)BSi4O12]3− framework. The synthesis method, structure, results of Raman, IR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and thermal stability are discussed.

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