Activity standardisation of 32Si at IRA-METAS.

This work explores the primary activity standardisation of 32Si as part of the SINCHRON project that aims at filling the geochronological dating gap by making a new precise measurement of the half-life of this nuclide. The stability of some of the radioactive test solutions, providing 32Si as hexafluorosilicic acid (H232SiF6), was monitored over long periods, pointing to the adequate sample composition and vial type to ensure stability. These solutions were standardised using liquid scintillation counting with the triple to double coincidence ratio (TDCR) technique and the CIEMAT-NIST efficiency tracing (CNET) method. Complementary backup measurements, using 4πß-γ coincidence counting with 60Co as a tracer, were performed with both liquid and plastic scintillation for beta detection. While 60Co coincidence tracing with a liquid scintillator predicted activities in agreement with the TDCR and CNET determinations, using plastic scintillation turned out to be unfeasible as the addition of lanthanum nitrate and ammonia to fix the silicon during the drying process generated large crystals that compromised the linearity of the efficiency function.

Activity standardization of 32Si at PTB.

Within the scope of the SINCRON project, several 32Si solutions were measured by means of liquid scintillation (LS) counting techniques at PTB to determine the activity concentration. Initial results revealed limited long-term stability of the samples, and a discrepancy between the TDCR method and the CIEMAT/NIST efficiency tracing method was found. In some cases, the sample instability could not be completely avoided but there is evidence that the results of the first measurements which are carried out within a few days after sample preparation can be used for an activity determination, though with increased uncertainty. Various sample compositions were tested, and a systematic study of long-term measurements and further experiments indicates that the sample instability is due to an adsorption-like effect. The discrepancies between the two LS methods were significantly lower when measuring other 32Si solutions. The initially observed discrepancies are likely due to low-energetic radioactive impurities that can be present in some of the 32Si solutions. A spectral analysis supports the thesis that tritium is present in the first solution and even allows a rough quantification of the activity ratio A(3H)/A(32Si/32P). This value allows impurity corrections to be applied, which leads to a noticeable improvement in the agreement between TDCR and CIEMAT/NIST efficiency tracing. Finally, a new LS sample composition with 15 mL Ultima Gold and 1 mL of HCl (0.5 mol/L) was found to yield stable LS samples. The activity determinations presented in this paper represent a fundamental step towards a new 32Si half-life determination in the framework of the SINCHRON project.

Spin Helicity in Chiral Lanthanide Chains.

We report here the determination of the helical spin structure of three Ln-based chiral chains of the formula [Ln(Hnic)(nic)2(NO3)]n (Hnic = nicotinic acid; Ln = Tb, Dy, and Er) by means of cantilever torque magnetometry. While the Dy and Er derivatives are strongly axial (easy-axis and easy-plane anisotropy, respectively), the Tb derivative is characterized by a remarkable rhombicity. In agreement with these findings, alternating-current susceptibility reveals slow magnetic relaxation only in the Dy derivative. Dilution of DyIII ions in the diamagnetic Y-based analogue shows that the weak ferromagnetic intrachain interactions do not contribute significantly to the energy barrier for the reversal of magnetization, which is better described as a single-ion process. Single crystals of the two enantiomers of the Dy derivative have also been investigated using hard X-ray synchrotron radiation at the L-edge of the metal revealing optical activity although with negligible involvement of the 4f electrons of the DyIII ion.

Coordination polymers of uranium(IV) terephthalates.

A series of tetravalent uranium terephthalates has been solvothermally synthesized in the solvent N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at temperature 100-150 °C with different water amounts. Composition diagrams have been determined for the U(4+) metallic cation in the presence of terephthalic acid, and their crystal structures revealed the occurrence of two- or three-dimensional coordination polymers. In the absence of water, a mixture of two polytypes T-U(2)Cl(2)(bdc)(3)(DMF)(4) (1) and M-U(2)Cl(2)(bdc)(3)(DMF)(4) (2) has been identified at low temperature (100-110 °C) for bdc/U = 1-4 (bdc = terephthalate linker). Their structures are built up from isolated uranium centers in nine-fold coordination, surrounded by 6 carboxyl oxygen atoms, 2 oxygen atoms coming from DMF molecules and one chlorine atom. The uranium cations are linked to each other through the bdc ligand in order to generate a 3D framework. By increasing the temperature (130-150 °C), a layered like compound has been isolated, U(2)(bdc)(4)(DMF)(4) (3). It is composed of discrete actinide centers in ten-fold coordination, with 8 carboxyl oxygen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms from DMF molecules. The connection of the UO10 units with the bdc linkers generates 2D sheets. When a controlled amount of water is added to the reaction medium, the crystallization of the UiO-66-like U(6)O(4)(OH)(4)(H(2)O)(6)(bdc)(6)·10DMF solid (containing a hexanuclear sub-unit) is observed for temperature 110-120 °C and the H(2)O/U molar ratio in the range of 2-10. At higher temperature (140-150 °C), a distinct phase appeared, U(2)O(2)(bdc)(2)(DMF) (4), which consists of infinite chains of uranium centers, linked to each other via the bdc ligands. Higher water contents led to the formation of urania UO(2).

Series of mixed uranyl-lanthanide (Ce, Nd) organic coordination polymers with aromatic polycarboxylates linkers.

Three series of mixed uranyl-lanthanide (Ce or Nd) carboxylate coordination polymers have been successfully synthesized by means of a hydrothermal route using either conventional or microwave heating methods. These compounds have been prepared from mixtures of uranyl nitrate, lanthanide nitrate together with phthalic acid (1,2), pyromellitic acid (3,4), or mellitic acid (5,6) in aqueous solution. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) single-crystal revealed that the phthalate complex (UO(2))(4)O(2)Ln(H(2)O)(7)(1,2-bdc)(4)·NH(4)·xH(2)O (Ln = Ce(1), Nd(2); x = 1 for 1, x = 0 for 2), is based on the connection of tetranuclear uranyl-centered building blocks linked to discrete monomeric units LnO(2)(H(2)O)(7) via the organic species to generate infinite chains, intercalated by free ammonium cations. The pyromellitate phase (UO(2))(3)Ln(2)(H(2)O)(12)(btec)(3)·5H(2)O (Ce(3), Nd(4)) contains layers of monomeric uranyl-centered hexagonal and pentagonal bipyramids linked via the carboxylate arms of the organic molecules. The three-dimensionality of the structure is ensured by the connection of remaining free carboxylate groups with isolated monomeric units LnO(2)(H(2)O)(7). The network of the third series (UO(2))(2)(OH)Ln(H(2)O)(7)(mel)·5H(2)O (Ce(5), Nd(6)) is built up from dinuclear uranyl units forming layers through connection with the mellitate ligands, which are further linked to each other through discrete monomers LnO(3)(H(2)O)(6). The thermal decomposition of the various coordination complexes led to the formation of mixed uranium-lanthanide oxide, with the fluorite-type structure at 1500 °C (for 1, 2) or 1400 °C for 3-6. Expected U/Ln ratio from the crystal structures were observed for compounds 1-6.

Water-free neodymium 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylates coordination complexes and their application as catalysts for isoprene polymerization.

A series of four coordination polymers based on neodymium have been hydrothermally synthesized with different carboxylic acids as a linker. The structures of the compounds Nd(2)(2,6-ndc)(3)(H(2)O)(3)·H(2)O (1), Nd(2)(2,6-ndc)(2)(ox)(H(2)O)(2) (2), and Nd(2,6-ndc)(form) (3) (2,6-ndc = 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylate; ox = oxalate; and form = formate) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. They exhibit rather dense networks built up from infinite chains of NdO polyhedra connected to each other through the 2,6-ndc ligand. Terminal and bridging aquo species are present in the coordination sphere of Nd for 1, whereas some of them are partially replaced by oxalate groups in 2 and fully substituted by formate groups in 3. The water-free phase 3 as well as the compound Nd(form)(3) (4) were considered for catalytic reaction for polymerization of isoprene in the presence of Al-based cocatalyst, affording cis-polyisoprene with good conversions. Residual Nd material with unchanged structure was found in the polymeric material. The neodymium luminescence of compounds 3 and 4 was also measured.

Metal-organic-framework-type 1D-channel open network of a tetravalent uranium trimesate.

An uranium trimesate open framework is built up from trinuclear building blocks (µ(3)-OU(3)) connected to each other by tricarboxylate linkers to generate honeycomb-like 3D topology. This compound was solvothermally synthesized from low-valent uranium in an N,N-dimethylformamide solvent under an inert atmosphere, favoring stabilization of the tetravalent oxidation state, which is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis.

Occurence of an octanuclear motif of uranyl isophthalate with cation-cation interactions through edge-sharing connection mode.

An uranyl isophthalate has been hydrothermally synthesized at 200 °C for 24 h, from a mixture of uranyl nitrate, isophthalic acid, and hydrazine in water. It was characterized by single-crystal analysis [triclinic, P ̅1, a = 7.3934(3) Å, b = 13.3296(5) Å, c = 15.4432(5) Å, α = 111.865(2)°, ß = 90.637(2)°, γ = 104.867(2)°, V = 1355.49(9) Å(3)] and different spectroscopic techniques (Raman, IR-ATR, UV-visible). The 3D structure of the phase (UO(2))(8)O(2)(OH)(4)(H(2)O)(4)(1,3-bdc)(4)·4H(2)O (1,3-bdc = 1,3-benzenedicarboxylate) reveals octanuclear units based on the association of 7-fold coordinated uranyl cations (pentagonal bipyramid) involving a rare case of cation-cation interaction together with edge-sharing polyhedral connection mode. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy confirmed that uranium was only involved in the structure as uranyl forms (excluding the presence of tetravalent or pentavalent uranium). Additionally, µ-Raman and IR-ATR experiments allowed assigning four uranyl contributions to the four types of uranyl entities in the structure, in agreement with the XRD analysis.