CURIES: Compendium of uranium Raman and infrared experimental spectra

Abstract

Identification of radioactive materials is a critical goal of resource exploration, basic actinide science, and nuclear forensics, and we provide here new insights towards rapid, nondestructive analysis of uranium-containing minerals and technogenic phases. Raman and infrared spectroscopic methods are powerful indicators of solid-phase U(VI) coordination chemistry. In addition, U(VI) minerals exhibit high chemical and structural diversity as artifacts of geochemical processes leading to ore formation. Spectral signals of axial UO 2 2+ (U-O yl ) bond lengths and the influences of additional oxyanions on these values are well documented for uranium oxide and oxysalt minerals and technogenic phases. Additional insight regarding the underlying crystallographic structure and chemical composition of uranium materials can be extracted through a survey of all available Raman spectroscopic data for these phases. To this end, we have developed the Compendium of Uranium Raman and Infrared Experimental Spectra (CURIES). CURIES was compiled via thorough review of literature and databases and for mineral species that lack measured and recorded spectra, data were obtained either from museum and academic collections or by direct syntheses. Characteristic Raman spectroscopic features for subgroups of uranyl minerals within CURIES were elucidated using multivariate statistical This is the peer-reviewed, final accepted version for American Mineralogist, published by the Mineralogical Society of America. The published version is subject to change. Cite as Authors (Year) Title. American Mineralogist, in press.

In Situ High-Temperature Raman Spectroscopy of UCl3: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study

“…This was evident, as there are no U–O vibrational modes present in any of the spectra that were recorded between 300 and 1000 cm –1 ; in uranium oxychloride (UO 2 Cl 2 ), there is a strong temperature-dependent vibrational band located between 700 and 760 cm –1 . Additionally, there are no vibrational features near 450 cm –1 , which occurs in uranium dioxide [(U 4+ O 2 ) 0 ], and near 775 cm –1 , which occurs in uranyl [(U 6+ O 2 ) 2+ ] hydrates and oyxhydrates. − …”