Energy transfer between UO22+ and Eu3+ in sol-gel glasses: a spectroscopic investigation

An investigation of the interactions of Eu³⁺ and Am³⁺ with uranyl minerals: implications for the storage of spent nuclear fuel

The reaction of a number of uranyl minerals of the (oxy)hydroxide, phosphate and carbonate types with Eu(iii), as a surrogate for Am(iii), have been investigated. A photoluminescence study shows that Eu(iii) can interact with the uranyl minerals Ca[(UO2)6(O)4(OH)6]·8H2O (becquerelite) and A[UO2(CO3)3]·xH2O (A/x = K3Na/1, grimselite; CaNa2/6, andersonite; and Ca2/11, liebigite). For the minerals [(UO2)8(O)2(OH)12]·12H2O (schoepite), K2[(UO2)6(O)4(OH)6]·7H2O (compreignacite), A[(UO2)2(PO4)2]·8H2O (A = Ca, meta-autunite; Cu, meta-torbernite) and Cu[(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2]·6H2O (cuprosklodowskite) no Eu(iii) emission was observed, indicating no incorporation into, or sorption onto the structure. In the examples with Eu(3+) incorporation, sensitized emission is seen and the lifetimes, hydration numbers and quantum yields have been determined. Time Resolved Laser Induced Fluroescence Spectroscpoy (TRLFS) at 10 K have also been measured and the resolution enhancements at these temperatures allow further information to be derived on the sites of Eu(iii) incorporation. Infrared and Raman spectra are recorded, and SEM analysis show significant morphology changes and the substitution of particularly Ca(2+) by Eu(3+) ions. Therefore, Eu(3+) can substitute Ca(2+) in the interlayers of becquerelite and liebigite and in the structure of andersonite, whilst in grimselite only sodium is exchanged. These results have guided an investigation into the reactions with (241)Am on a tracer scale and results from gamma-spectrometry show that becquerelite, andersonite, grimselite, liebigite and compreignacite can include americium in the structure. Shifts in the U[double bond, length as m-dash]O and C-O Raman active bands are similar to that observed in the Eu(iii) analogues and Am(iii) photoluminescence measurements are also reported on these phases; the Am(3+) ion quenches the emission from the uranyl ion.

A case study of energy transfer mechanism from uranium to europium in ZnAl₃O₄ spinel host by photoluminescence spectroscopy

Zinc aluminate (ZAO), a member of spinel class of inorganic compounds has been of much interest of late due to its wide range of use in catalysis, optical, electronic and ceramic industries. When doped with several lanthanides, this material has proved to be a potential host matrix for phosphors. As lanthanides suffer from poor (direct) excitation and emission cross sections, the use of a co-dopant ion can help to circumvent this and extract better emission from a lanthanide doped ZAO system. In this connection, energy transfer mechanism from uranium to europium in the ZAO host was investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopic technique. It was seen that uranium gets stabilized in the hexavalent state as UO6(6-) (octahedral uranate) where as the lanthanide ion, Eu is stabilized in its trivalent state in the ZAO host. In the co-doped system, an efficient energy transfer pathway from the uranate to europium ion was observed. Based upon emission and life time data a suitable mechanism was proposed for the energy transfer (quenching) process. It was proposed that after excitation by photons, the uranate ions transfer their energy to nearby (5)D1 level of Eu(3+) ions which non-radiatively de-excites to the corresponding lower levels of (5)D0. Further this (5)D0 level decays in a radiative mode to the (7)F manifold giving the characteristic emission profile of trivalent Eu. It was proposed that both static and dynamic types of energy transfer mechanism were responsible for this process.

Neutron detection based upon a lithiated sol-gel glass

The addition of dopants in the wet chemistry formation of glass in sol-gel technology is used for many purposes. Among the uses are the fabrication of films sensitive to pH, temperature, the presence of dissolved chemicals in solutions and many others. This paper describes the use of sol-gel technology for the doping of B-10, Li-6 and U-235 into glass films applied to silicon surface barrier (SSB) detectors. Using a commercial preamp/amplifier and an IEEE-488 NIM counter, the response was recorded of the neutron profile in a neutron activation source. A portable personal computer recorded the thermal neutron map as the detector was lowered in 1.27-cm steps down a Numec thermal neutron activation source. The lithiated glass film on the SSB gave about four times the count rate of the boron-10 doped glass film. The U-235 doped glass film gave a much lower count rate, but maintained a constant output signal due to the presence of the alpha activity from the U-235 and the trace of U-234 present in the sample.