Uranium trioxide is known to adopt seven different structural forms. While these structural forms have been well characterized using x-ray or neutron diffraction techniques, little work has been done to characterize their spectroscopic properties, particularly of the pure phases. Since the structural isomers of UO3 all have similar thermodynamic stabilities and most tend to hydrolyze under open atmospheric conditions, mixtures of UO3 phases and the hydrolysis products are common. Much effort went into isolating pure phases of UO3. Utilizing x-ray diffraction as a sample identification check, UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopic signatures of a-UO3, ß-UO3, ?-UO3 and UO2(OH)2 products were obtained. The spectra of the pure phases can now be used to characterize typical samples of UO3, which are often mixtures of isomers.
Revised: December 5, 2013 |
Published: September 26, 2013
Citation
Sweet L.E., D.D. Reilly, D.G. Abrecht, E.C. Buck, D.E. Meier, Y. Su, and C.S. Brauer, et al. 2013.Spectroscopic Studies of the Several Isomers of UO3. In Optics and Photonics for Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting and Defence IX; and Optical Materials and Biomaterials in Security and Defence Systems Technology X, September 23, 2013, Dresden, Germany. Proceedings of the SPIE, edited by R Zamboni, et al, 8901, Paper No. 890107. Bellingham, Washington:SPIE.PNNL-SA-98300.doi:10.1117/12.2029408