Sorption of Strontium to Uraninite and Uranium(IV)-Silicate Nanoparticles

Spent nuclear fuel contains both uranium (U) and high yield fission products, including strontium-90 (⁹⁰Sr), a key radioactive contaminant at nuclear facilities. Both U and ⁹⁰Sr will be present where spent nuclear fuel has been processed, including in storage ponds and tanks. However, the interactions between Sr and U phases under ambient conditions are not well understood. Over a pH range of 4-14, we investigate Sr sorption behavior in contact with two nuclear fuel cycle relevant U(IV) phases: nano-uraninite (UO₂) and U(IV)-silicate nanoparticles. Nano-UO₂ is a product of the anaerobic corrosion of metallic uranium fuel, and UO₂ is also the predominant form of U in ceramic fuels. U(IV)-silicates form stable colloids under the neutral to alkaline pH conditions highly relevant to nuclear fuel storage ponds and geodisposal scenarios. In sorption experiments, Sr had the highest affinity for UO₂, although significant Sr sorption also occurred to U(IV)-silicate phases at pH ≥ 6. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and desorption data for the UO₂ system suggested that Sr interacted with UO₂ via a near surface, highly coordinated complex at pH ≥ 10. EXAFS measurements for the U(IV)-silicate samples showed outer-sphere Sr sorption dominated at acidic and near-neutral pH with intrinsic Sr-silicates forming at pH ≥ 12. These complex interactions of Sr with important U(IV) phases highlight a largely unrecognized control on ⁹⁰Sr mobility in environments of relevance to spent nuclear fuel management and storage.

Crystal structure of Ba2(La0.727Ba0.182M0.091)MO6 (M = Nb, Sb, Bi): symmetry nuance identified in photoluminescence and IR spectroscopy studies

A one-third lanthanum deficiency was created in Ba₂LaM⁵⁺O₆ compounds (LaM compounds) to form Ba₂La_2/3M⁵⁺O_5.5 compounds (La2/3M compounds) for M = Nb, Sb, and Bi. The compounds were prepared by a gel-combustion method using citric acid as a fuel. All the compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD analysis showed that the space group of the La2/3M compounds remains the same for the Bi and Sb samples when compared to the reported LaM compounds, except for the Nb sample. La2/3Nb and La2/3Sb adopt a rhombohedral structure with the space group R3[combining macron], whereas La2/3Bi adopts a monoclinic structure with the space group I2/m. As the positron annihilation spectroscopy (PALS) technique is sensitive to cation deficiency, it was used to detect the presence of cation vacancies in the samples, which are formed due to the decrease in the lanthanum concentration. The PALS analyses indicated that the absence of cation deficiency in the La2/3M compounds is similar to that observed in the LaM compound. Thus, the crystal structure of the La2/3M compound was modeled, such that the cation deficiency at the La site is filled by Ba²⁺ and M⁵⁺ ions, and the crystal structure formula is given as Ba₂(La_0.727Ba_0.182M_0.091)MO₆. This model was confirmed by Rietveld refinement of the XRD data. The emission spectra of Eu³⁺ showed a strong dependence on its local site symmetry in the host material, in which it is being doped and this can be used as a spectroscopic probe for detecting any differences in the symmetry. Comparison of the local symmetry around La³⁺ cation was studied using photoluminescence (PL) by doping 2 atom% Eu³⁺ in LaM and La2/3M compounds. Infrared spectroscopy (IRS) analyses were also carried out for LaM and La2/3M compounds. There was complete agreement between the PL and IRS results and they were also in concordance with the predicted crystal structure model. Interestingly in these La2/3M compounds, the equilibrium structure prefers large Ba²⁺ ion to occupy the octahedral B-site rather than forming an octahedral vacancy at that site, making these perovskite compounds rare and novel in their class.

Local Structure and Charge Distribution in the UO2−U4O9 System

Analysis of X-ray absorption fine structure spectra of UO(2+x) for x = 0-0.20 (UO(2)--U(4)O(9)) reveals that the adventitious O atoms are incorporated as oxo groups with U--O distances of 1.74 A, most likely associated with U(VI), that occur in clusters so that the UO(2) fraction of the material largely remains intact. In addition to the formation of some additional longer U--O bonds, the U sublattice consists of an ordered portion that displays the original U--U distance and a spectroscopically silent, glassy part. This is very different from previous models derived from neutron diffraction that maintained long U--O distances and high U--O coordination numbers. UO(2+x) also differs from PuO(2+x) in its substantially shorter An-oxo distances and no sign of stable coordination with H(2)O and its hydrolysis products.