Coffinite, USiO4, Is Abundant in Nature: So Why Is It So Difficult To Synthesize?

Advances and perspectives of actinide chemistry from ex situ high pressure and high temperature chemical studies

High pressure high temperature (HP/HT) studies of actinide compounds allow the chemistry and bonding of among the most exotic elements in the periodic table to be examined under the conditions often only found in the severest environments of nature. Peering into this realm of physical extremity, chemists have extracted detailed knowledge of the fundamental chemistry of actinide elements and how they contribute to bonding, structure formation and intricate properties in compounds under such conditions. The last decade has resulted in some of the most significant contributions to actinide chemical science and this holds true for ex situ chemical studies of actinides resulting from HP/HT conditions of over 1 GPa and elevated temperature. Often conducted in tandem with ab initio calculations, HP/HT studies of actinides have further helped guide and develop theoretical modelling approaches and uncovered associated difficulties. Accordingly, this perspective article is devoted to reviewing the latest advancements made in actinide HP/HT ex situ chemical studies over the last decade, the state-of-the-art, challenges and discussing potential future directions of the science. The discussion is given with emphasis on thorium and uranium compounds due to the prevalence of their investigation but also highlights some of the latest advancements in high pressure chemical studies of transuranium compounds. The perspective also describes technical aspects involved in HP/HT investigation of actinide compounds.

Formation of plutonium(IV) silicate species in very alkaline reactive media

Studying the speciation of Pu(IV) in very alkaline and silicate ion rich reactive media allowed identification of the formation of plutonium(IV)-silicate colloidal suspensions which were stable for months. These colloids were stabilized in aqueous solution for pH > 13 and for concentrations around 10^-2 mol L^-1. Successive filtration processes allowed evaluation of their size, which was found to be smaller than 6 nm. Their structural characterization by XAS evidenced that their structure was similar to those identified for the other tetravalent actinide-silicate colloidal systems like thorium, uranium and neptunium. Their formation could explain the increase of plutonium solubility usually observed in alkaline silicate-rich solutions and could affect the plutonium mobility as a result in contaminated sites or in other environmental permeable media.

Diagenetic formation of uranium-silica polymers in lake sediments over 3,300 years

The long-term fate of uranium-contaminated sediments, especially downstream former mining areas, is a widespread environmental challenge. Essential for their management is the proper understanding of uranium (U) immobilization mechanisms in reducing environments. In particular, the long-term behavior of noncrystalline U(IV) species and their possible evolution to more stable phases in subsurface conditions is poorly documented, which limits our ability to predict U long-term geochemical reactivity. Here, we report direct evidence for the evolution of U speciation over 3,300 y in naturally highly U-enriched sediments (350-760 µg ⋅ g^-1 U) from Lake Nègre (Mercantour Massif, Mediterranean Alps, France) by combining U isotopic data (δ²³⁸U and (²³⁴U/²³⁸U)) with U L ₃ -edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Constant isotopic ratios over the entire sediment core indicate stable U sources and accumulation modes, allowing for determination of the impact of aging on U speciation. We demonstrate that, after sediment deposition, mononuclear U(IV) species associated with organic matter transformed into authigenic polymeric U(IV)-silica species that might have partially converted to a nanocrystalline coffinite (U^IVSiO₄·nH₂O)-like phase. This diagenetic transformation occurred in less than 700 y and is consistent with the high silica availability of sediments in which diatoms are abundant. It also yields consistency with laboratory studies that proposed the formation of colloidal polynuclear U(IV)-silica species, as precursors for coffinite formation. However, the incomplete transformation observed here only slightly reduces the potential lability of U, which could have important implications to evaluate the long-term management of U-contaminated sediments and, by extension, of U-bearing wastes in silica-rich subsurface environments.

Instability of U3Si2 in pressurized water media at elevated temperatures

Following the Fukushima Daiichi accident, significant efforts from industry and the scientific community have been directed towards the development of alternative nuclear reactor fuels with enhanced accident tolerance. Among the proposed materials for such fuels is a uranium silicide compound (U₃Si₂), which has been selected for its enhanced thermal conductivity and high density of uranium compared to the reference commercial light water reactor (LWR) nuclear fuel, uranium oxide (UO₂). To be a viable candidate LWR fuel, however, U₃Si₂ must also demonstrate that, in the event of this fuel coming in contact with aqueous media, it will not degrade rapidly. In this contribution, we report the results of experiments investigating the stability of U₃Si₂ in pressurized water at elevated temperatures and identify the mechanisms that control the interaction of U₃Si₂ under these conditions. Our data indicate that the stability of this material is primarily controlled by the formation of a layer of USiO₄ (the mineral, coffinite) at the surface of U₃Si₂. The results also show that these layers are destabilized at T > 300 °C, leading to the complete decomposition of U₃Si₂ and its pulverization due to its full oxidation to UO₂.

The Role of Water and Hydroxyl Groups in the Structures of Stetindite and Coffinite, MSiO4 (M = Ce, U)

Orthosilicates adopt the zircon structure types (I4₁/amd), consisting of isolated SiO₄ tetrahedra joined by A-site metal cations, such as Ce and U. They are of significant interest in the fields of geochemistry, mineralogy, nuclear waste form development, and material science. Stetindite (CeSiO₄) and coffinite (USiO₄) can be formed under hydrothermal conditions despite both being thermodynamically metastable. Water has been hypothesized to play a significant role in stabilizing and forming these orthosilicate phases, though little experimental evidence exists. To understand the effects of hydration or hydroxylation on these orthosilicates, in situ high-temperature synchrotron and laboratory-based X-ray diffraction was conducted from 25 to ∼850 °C. Stetindite maintains its I4₁/amd symmetry with increasing temperature but exhibits a discontinuous expansion along the a-axis during heating, presumably due to the removal of water confined in the [001] channels, which shrink against thermal expansion along the a-axis. Additional in situ high-temperature Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy also confirmed the presence of the confined water. Coffinite was also found to expand nonlinearly up to 600 °C and then thermally decompose into a mixture of UO₂ and SiO₂. A combination of dehydration and dehydroxylation is proposed for explaining the thermal behavior of coffinite synthesized hydrothermally. Additionally, we investigated high-temperature structures of two coffinite-thorite solid solutions, uranothorite (U_xTh_1-xSiO₄), which displayed complex variations in composition during heating that was attributed to the negative enthalpy of mixing. Lastly, for the first time, the coefficients of thermal expansion of CeSiO₄, USiO₄, U_0.46Th_0.54SiO₄, and U_0.9Th_0.1SiO₄ were determined to be α_V = 14.49 × 10^-6, 14.29 × 10^-6, 17.21 × 10^-6, and 17.23 × 10^-6 °C^-1, respectively.

Thermodynamics of CeSiO4: Implications for Actinide Orthosilicates

Zircon (ZrSiO₄, I4₁/amd) can accommodate actinides, such as thorium, uranium, and plutonium. The zircon structure has been determined for several of the end-member compositions of other actinides, such as plutonium and neptunium. However, the thermodynamic properties of these actinide zircon structure types are largely unknown due to the difficulties in synthesizing these materials and handling transuranium actinides. Thus, we have completed a thermodynamic study of cerium orthosilicate, stetindite (CeSiO₄), a surrogate of PuSiO₄. For the first time, the standard enthalpy of formation of CeSiO₄ was obtained by high temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry to be -1971.9 ± 3.6 kJ/mol. Stetindite is energetically metastable with respect to CeO₂ and SiO₂ by 27.5 ± 3.1 kJ/mol. The metastability explains the rarity of the natural occurrence of stetindite and the difficulty of its synthesis. Applying the obtained enthalpy of formation of CeSiO₄ from this work, along with those previously reported for USiO₄ and ThSiO₄, we developed an empirical energetic relation for actinide orthosilicates. The predicted enthalpies of formation of AnSiO₄ are then determined with a discussion of future strategies for efficiently immobilizing Pu or minor actinides in the zircon structure.

Coffinite formation from UO2+x

Most of the highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel (SNF) around the world is destined for final disposal in deep-mined geological repositories. At the end of the fuel's useful life in a reactor, about 96% of the SNF is still UO₂. Thus, the behaviour of UO₂ in SNF must be understood and evaluated under the weathering conditions of geologic disposal, which extend to periods of hundreds of thousands of years. There is ample evidence from nature that many uranium deposits have experienced conditions for which the formation of coffinite, USiO₄, has been favoured over uraninite, UO_2+x, during subsequent alteration events. Thus, coffinite is an important alteration product of the UO₂ in SNF. Here, we present the first evidence of the formation of coffinite on the surface of UO₂ at the time scale of laboratory experiments in a solution saturated with respect to amorphous silica at pH = 9, room temperature and under anoxic conditions.

The formation of PuSiO4 under hydrothermal conditions

Attempts to synthesize plutonium(iv) silicate, PuSiO4, have been made on the basis of results recently reported in the literature for CeSiO4, ThSiO4, and USiO4 under hydrothermal conditions. Although it was not possible to prepare PuSiO4via applying the conditions reported for thorium and uranium, an efficient method of PuSiO4 synthesis was established by applying the conditions optimized for the CeSiO4 system. This method was based on the slow oxidation of plutonium(iii) silicate reactants under hydrothermal conditions at 150 °C in hydrochloric acid (pH = 3-4). These results shed new light on the potential behavior of plutonium in reductive environments, highlighting the representative nature of cerium surrogates when studying plutonium under such conditions and providing some important pieces of information regarding plutonium chemistry in silicate solutions.

A novel approach to the structural distortions of U/Th snub-disphenoids and their control on zircon → reidite type phase transitions of U1-x Th x SiO4

Coffinite (USiO₄) and thorite (ThSiO₄) are conspicuous radiogenic silicates in the geonomy. They form U_1-x Th _x SiO₄ (uranothorite) solid solutions in zircon-type phase. Investigating the phase-evolution of these minerals is of utmost significance in realizing their applicability in the front-as well as at the back-end of nuclear industries. We carried out a systematic study of zircon- to reidite-type (tetragonal I4₁/amd to I4₁/a) structural transitions of U_1-x Th _x SiO₄ solid solution, and investigated their mechanical behaviour. We found a unique behaviour of transition pressure with the change in U-Th concentration in the solid solution. The phase transition pressure (p _t) is found to be minimum for x  =  0.5. We develop the necessary formalism and present an efficient method to estimate the longitudinal and angular distortions of U/ThO₈-triangular dodecahedra (snub-disphenoids). We have parameterized two new factors: δ (longitudinal distortions) and σ ² (angular distortions) to quantify the polyhedral distortions. A detailed analysis of U/ThO₈ snub-disphenoidal distortions is presented to address such variation of p _t with U and Th concentration. We argue that our approach is independent of polyhedral volume and can be used for any AB₈ (A: cation, B: anion) type snub-disphenoidal system.

Americium incorporation into studtite: a theoretical and experimental study

Studtite, [UO₂(η²-O₂)(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O, and metastudtite, [UO₂(η²-O₂)(H₂O)₂], are important phase alterations of UO₂ in a spent nuclear fuel repository and have previously been shown to react with Np(v). In this work we extend the study to Am(v) on a tracer scale and show spectroscopic evidence that the Am is incorporated into the structure of studtite as Am(iii). A computational study on the possible mechanisms for the incorporation of Np and Am shows that protonation of the -yl oxygen is the favoured route and the calculated incorporation energies are large and positive. The results suggest that Am is less favoured compared to Np but energetically more favoured to incorporate both actinide ions into metastudtite rather than studtite. Finally, we have shown that once incorporated, Am readily leaches into water but spectroscopic measurements suggest subtle changes in the structure of studtite.

Preparation of CeSiO4 from aqueous precursors under soft hydrothermal conditions

Even though CeSiO₄ was synthesized one time through a hydrothermal treatment, the conditions leading to its formation remain largely unknown. In order to define the optimized conditions of synthesis, a multiparametric study was developed by varying the pH of the solution, the temperature, and the nature of the reactants and of the complexing ions in solution. This study highlighted that CeSiO₄ could not be obtained starting from Ce(iv) reactants. An optimal set of conditions was defined to prepare single phase samples. Pure CeSiO₄ was obtained through a hydrothermal treatment at 150 °C using a starting mixture of 1 mol L^-1 Ce(iii) nitrate and Na₂SiO₃ solutions and by adjusting the initial pH to 8. The chemical limitations observed during the synthesis of CeSiO₄ suggested that the formation of this phase may result from the slow in situ oxidation of a Ce(iii) silicate complex during the hydrothermal treatment.

Formation of CeSiO4 from cerium(iii) silicate precursors

Although the preparation of CeSiO4 has been already reported, the formation of pure cerium silicate from aqueous precursors appears as a challenge. An innovative way of synthesis has been identified in this study, allowing the formation of CeSiO4 after hydrothermal treatment starting from Ce(iii) silicate precursors. Among the experimental parameters examined, significant effects were found according to the nature of the precursor and of the reactive media considered, the pH of the reactive media and the temperature of the hydrothermal process. This study allows the determination of optimized conditions for the hydrothermal synthesis of pure CeSiO4 (A-Ce2Si2O7 or Ce4.67(SiO4)3O as starting precursors, nitric medium, pH = 7, 7 days at 150 °C). The in situ low oxidation rate of Ce(iii) into Ce(iv) was a key parameter to consider in order to avoid the presence of CeO2 in the final mixtures.

Stability, Composition, and Core-Shell Particle Structure of Uranium(IV)-Silicate Colloids

Uranium is typically the most abundant radionuclide by mass in radioactive wastes and is a significant component of effluent streams at nuclear facilities. Actinide(IV) (An(IV)) colloids formed via various pathways, including corrosion of spent nuclear fuel, have the potential to greatly enhance the mobility of poorly soluble An(IV) forms, including uranium. This is particularly important in conditions relevant to decommissioning of nuclear facilities and the geological disposal of radioactive waste. Previous studies have suggested that silicate could stabilize U(IV) colloids. Here the formation, composition, and structure of U(IV)-silicate colloids under the alkaline conditions relevant to spent nuclear fuel storage and disposal were investigated using a range of state of the art techniques. The colloids are formed across a range of pH conditions (9-10.5) and silicate concentrations (2-4 mM) and have a primary particle size 1-10 nm, also forming suspended aggregates <220 nm. X-ray absorption spectroscopy, ultrafiltration, and scanning transmission electron microscopy confirm the particles are U(IV)-silicates. Additional evidence from X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function data suggests the primary particles are composed of a UO₂-rich core and a U-silicate shell. U(IV)-silicate colloids formation correlates with the formation of U(OH)₃(H₃SiO₄)₃^2- complexes in solution indicating they are likely particle precursors. Finally, these colloids form under a range of conditions relevant to nuclear fuel storage and geological disposal of radioactive waste and represent a potential pathway for U mobility in these systems.

Incorporation of Thorium in the Zircon Structure Type through the Th1-xErx(SiO4)1-x(PO4)x Thorite-Xenotime Solid Solution

Pure powdered compounds with a general formula Th_1-xEr_x(SiO₄)_1-x(PO₄)_x belonging to the zircon-xenotime family were successfully synthesized under hydrothermal conditions (250 °C, 7 days) as recently reported for the preparation of coffinite. Therefore, a thorough, combined PXRD, EDX, EXAFS, Raman, and FTIR analysis showed the formation of a solid solution in agreement with Vegard's law. Moreover, the examination of the local structure shows that the Th-O distances remain close to those found in ThSiO₄, whereas the Er-O distances show a significant decrease from 2.38(14) to 2.34(7) Å when increasing the erbium content from x = 0.2 to x = 1. The variation of the local structure also affects the PO₄^3- groups that are surely distorted in the structure.

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.

Oxyhydroxy Silicate Colloids: A New Type of Waterborne Actinide(IV) Colloids

At the near-neutral and reducing aquatic conditions expected in undisturbed ore deposits or in closed nuclear waste repositories, the actinides Th, U, Np, and Pu are primarily tetravalent. These tetravalent actinides (AnIV) are sparingly soluble in aquatic systems and, hence, are often assumed to be immobile. However, AnIV could become mobile if they occur as colloids. This review focuses on a new type of AnIV colloids, oxyhydroxy silicate colloids. We herein discuss the chemical characteristics of these colloids and the potential implication for their environmental behavior. The binary oxyhydroxy silicate colloids of AnIV could be potentially more mobile as a waterborne species than the well-known mono-component oxyhydroxide colloids.