Numéro
J. Phys. IV France
Volume 7, Numéro C2, Avril 1997
Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure
Page(s) C2-1009 - C2-1010
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:19972119
Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on X-Ray Absorption Fine Structure

J. Phys. IV France 7 (1997) C2-1009-C2-1010

DOI: 10.1051/jp4:19972119

Coordination of Actinides in Silicate Melts

F. Farges1, G.E. Brown Jr.2 and Z. Wu1

1  Laboratoire de Physique et Mécanique des Géomatériaux, Université de Marne-la vallée (and URA 734 du CNRS and LURE and Stanford University), 93166 Noisy le Grand cedex, France
2  Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences and SSRL, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115, U.S.A.


Abstract
The structural environments around Th(IV) and U(VI) at concentrations ranging from 90 ppm to 7 wt.% were investigated in glasses and melts of Na di- and trisilicate compositions between 293 and 1550 K using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Data for model compounds were collected at temperatures up to 2000 K in order to quantify the magnitude of anharmonic effects. Data for glasses and melts were collected and analyzed considering anharmonic (cumulant-expansion), curved-wave and multiple-scattering effects. In the glasses and melts studied, U(VI) occurs as uranyl groups [d(U(VI)-O ≈1.78 and 2.25(3) Å] and Th(IV) occurs as a mixture of 6- and 8-coordinated Th at the 1-3 wt.% Th level, but as 8- coordinated Th at trace levels (90-1000 ppm). These two actinides do not undergo significant coordination changes during the glass-to-melt transformation. However, special care in the data analysis protocol is needed to avoid the effects of anharmonicity (due to both positional and thermal effects) which tend to artificially increase the (apparent) amount of 6-coordinated Th.



© EDP Sciences 1997