Extraction of tri- and tetravalent actinides with dihexyl N,N-diethylcarbamoylmethyl phosphonate (DHDECMP) and TBP from nitric acid solutions

Extraction of trivalent (Pu³⁺, Am³⁺, actinides and Eu³⁺, a representative of lanthanides) and tetravalent (Np⁴⁺ and Pu⁴⁺) actinides has been studied with dihexyl N,N-di-ethylcarbamoylmethyl phosphonate (DHDECMP) in combination with TBP in benzene from 2M nitric acid. The stoichiometries of the species extracted were found to be M(NO₃)₃·(3–n) TBP·n DHDECMP (for trivalent ions) and M(NO₃)₄·(2–n) TBP·n DHDECMP (for tetravalent ions) by the slope ratio method. The extraction constants evaluated (from the distribution data) indicate that for tetravalent ions (with solvation number two) the extraction constant increases when TBP (Kh=0.17) molecules are successively replaced by more basic DHDECMP (Kh=0.34) molecules. However, for trivalent ions (with solvation number three) when TBP molecules are totally replaced by DHDECMP molecules stereochemical factors appear and instead of increase, a substantial decrease in extraction constants is observed for Eu³⁺ and Am³⁺, a lesser decrease being observed for Pu³⁺ (larger ion).     

The unusual extraction behavior of americium(III) and dioxouranium(VI) from picric acid medium using neutral oxodonors II. A thermodynamic study

The role of temperature on the distribution of Am³⁺ and UO₂ ²⁺ was investigated in the extraction systems involving TBP and DOSO as the neutral oxodonors and picrate as the organophilic counter anion. The inner-sphere water molecules and their substitution by the oxodonor molecules appeared to influence the extraction constants of these metal ions. The conditional extraction constants for Am³⁺ were found to be larger (about 3 order of magnitude) than those for UO₂ ²⁺. From the thermodynamics data it appeared that both TBP as well as DOSO bind Am³⁺ ion through outer-sphere coordination. In presence of 1M NaCl, though the interaction with TBP remains unaltered DOSO tend to form an inner-sphere complex. On the other hand, UO₂ ²⁺ forms inner-sphere complexes with DOSO and outer-sphere complex with TBP in the absence of salt. In the presence of 1M NaCl, both TBP and DOSO form inner-sphere complexes. The effect of ionic strength on metal ion extraction was also investigated. For Part I see Ref. 9.     

Estimating the Gibbs Hydration Energies of Actinium and Trans-Plutonium Actinides

The use of actinides for medical, scientific and technological purposes has gained momentum in the recent years. This creates a need to understand their interactions with biomolecules, both at the interface and as they become complexed. Calculation of the Gibbs binding energies of the ions to biomolecules, i. e., the Gibbs energy change associated with a transfer of an ion from the water phase to its binding site, could help to understand the actinides’ toxicities and to design agents that bind them with high affinities. To this end, there is a need to obtain accurate reference values for actinide hydration, that for most actinides are not available from experiment. In this study, a set of ionic radii is developed that enables future calculations of binding energies for Pu³⁺ and five actinides with renewed scientific and technological interest: Ac³⁺, Am³⁺, Cm³⁺, Bk³⁺ and Cf³⁺. Reference hydration energies were calculated using quantum chemistry and ion solvation theory and agree well for all ions except Ac³⁺, where ion solvation theory seems to underestimate the magnitude of the Gibbs hydration energy. The set of radii and reference energies that are presented here provide means to calculate binding energies for actinides and biomolecules.     

Sorption of Am<Superscript>3+</Superscript> cations on suspended silicate: Effects of pH,ionic strength,complexing anions,humic acid and metal ions

Sorption of tracer Am³⁺ to silicate particles was studied as a function of pcH (4 to 9) and of ionic strength [0.20M to 1.50M (NaClO₄)] at 298 K. The sorption increased with increased pcH from 4 to 6 above which saturation was observed. The insensitivity of Am³⁺ sorption to increased ionic strength indicates inner-sphere complexation with the surface silicate sites. The effects of different complexing anions such as carbonate, acetate, oxalate, phosphate, citrate, EDTA and humic acid, on Am³⁺ sorption were investigated. Synergistic enhancement in Am³⁺ sorption was observed in the presence of phosphate (4≤pcH≤7) and acetate (4≤pcH≤5) ligands at 0.20M NaClO₄. The presence of the other ligands inhibited Am³⁺ sorption in the order: EDTA > citrate > oxalate > carbonate. Am³⁺ sorption in the presence of HA (25.00 mg/l) increased in the pcH range of 4.0 to 5.5, then decreased. Increased ionic strength enhanced Am³⁺ sorption in the presence of 25.00 mg/l HA for 4≤pcH≤9. The sorption increased in the presence of a mixture of HA (25.00 mg/l) and phosphate (1.00·10⁻³M) as compared to that of HA (25.00 mg/l) alone. The presence of Fe³⁺ (1.00·10⁻⁴M) enhanced Am³⁺ sorption at pcH∼4 but suppressed it from pcH of 5 to 9; 1.00·10⁻⁴M of Ca²⁺ and of UO₂²⁺ ions had no effect on the sorption profile. On leave from Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai -400 085, India.     

The geometry and electronic structure of the ionic defect in a chain of water molecules between a donor and an acceptor

Quantum chemical calculations of the molecular complexes (NH₃)₃Zn²⁺...(H₂O)_n3...NH₃ (C_n, n=11, 16, 21, and 30) that model the proton donor-aqueous chain-acceptor channel in biological molecules were performed. Periodicity of O-H bond lengths in water chains and charges of the H atoms of H-bonds observed earlier were discussed. In C_n complexes, the geometry and electronic structure of the ionic defect in the aqueous chain with an excess proton were studied. The distributions of O-H bond lengths and charges on H-bond H atoms in the region of the ionic defect obtained in ab initio (B3LYP/6-31+G^**) and semiempirical (PM3) calculations are compared. The influence of aqueous chain extension, the position of the protonated water molecule, and the mobility of water molecules in the chain on the structure of the ionic defect was analyzed.     

Highly Efficient Diglycolamide‐Based Task‐Specific Ionic Liquids: Synthesis,Unusual Extraction Behaviour,Irradiation, and Fluorescence Studies

Two new diglycolamide‐based task‐specific ionic liquids (DGA? TSILs) were evaluated for the extraction of actinides and lanthanides from acidic feed solutions. These DGA? TSILs were capable of exceptionally high extraction of trivalent actinide ions, such as Am³⁺, and even higher extraction of the lanthanide ion, Eu³⁺ (about 5–10 fold). Dilution of the DGA? TSILs in an ionic liquid, C₄mim⁺ ? NTf₂^?, afforded reasonably high extraction ability, faster mass transfer, and more efficient stripping of the metal ion. The nature of the extracted species was studied by slope analysis, which showed that the extracted species contained one NO₃^? anion, along with the participation of two DGA? TSIL molecules. Time‐resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) analysis showed a strong complexation with no inner‐sphere water molecule in the Eu^III? DGA? TSIL complexes in the presence and absence of C₄mim⁺ ? NTf₂^? as the diluent. The very high radiolytic stability of DGA? TSIL 6 makes it one of the most‐efficient solvent systems for the extraction of actinides under acidic feed conditions.     

Simultaneous recovery of plutonium and americium from assorted analytical waste solutions using extraction chromatography

A rapid extraction chromatography based methodology was developed for simultaneous recovery of plutonium and americium from various kinds of analytical waste obtained during chemical quality control of plutonium based nuclear materials using sulphonic acid based actinide? resin. Efforts were made to understand the effect of initial feed acidity, gamma radiation and the concentrations of Am³⁺ and Pu⁴⁺ on their k _d. values. Processing of assorted analytical waste solutions through this method revealed that more than 95 % of Am³⁺ and 90 % of Pu⁴⁺ were adsorbed on the resin while iso- propanol can be successfully employed for the quantitative recovery of both the actinides from the loaded resin phase.     

Pore-functionalized polymer membranes for preconcentration of heavy metal ions

Functionalized membranes containing carboxylate, phosphate and sulfonate groups were prepared by UV-initiator induced graft polymerization of the functional monomer (acrylic acid, ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP) and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid) with a crosslinker (methylenebisacrylamide) in the pores of poly(propylene) host membranes. The functionalized membranes thus obtained were characterized by gravimetry, FTIR spectroscopy, radiotracers and scanning electron microscopy for the degree of grafting and water uptake, presence of functional groups, ion-exchange capacity, and physical structure of the membranes, respectively. The uptakes of Cs⁺, Ag⁺, Sr²⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Eu³⁺, Am³⁺, Hf⁴⁺ and Pu⁴⁺ ions in the functionalized membranes were studied as a function of acidity of the equilibrating aqueous solution. Among the functionalized membranes prepared in the present work, the EGMP-grafted membrane (with phosphate groups) showed acid concentration dependent selectivity towards multivalent metal ions like Eu³⁺, Am³⁺, Hf⁴⁺ and Pu⁴⁺. The solvent extraction studies of EGMP monomer in methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) solvent indicated that divalent and trivalent metal ions form complexes with EGMP in 1:2 proportion, but the distribution coefficients of trivalent metal ions were significantly higher that for the divalent ions. The uptakes of Eu³⁺ ions in monomeric EGMP (dissolved in MIBK) and polymeric EGMP (in the forms of crosslinked gel and membrane) were studied as a function of concentration of H⁺ ions in the equilibrating solution. This study indicated that polymeric EGMP has better binding ability towards Eu³⁺ as compared to monomeric EGMP. The variation of distribution coefficients of Eu³⁺/Am³⁺ in gel and membrane as a function of H⁺ ion concentration in the equilibrating aqueous solution indicated that ionic species held in the membrane and gel were not same. These results indicated that proximity of functional groups (phosphate) plays an important role in metal ion binding with polymeric EGMP.     

Spectroscopic and Computational Characterization of Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid/Transplutonium Chelates: Evidencing Heterogeneity in the Heavy Actinide(III) Series

The chemistry of trivalent transplutonium ions (Am³⁺, Cm³⁺, Bk³⁺, Cf³⁺, Es³⁺…) is usually perceived as monotonic and paralleling that of the trivalent lanthanide series. Herein, we present the first extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) study performed on a series of aqueous heavy actinide chelates, extending past Cm. The results obtained on diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) complexes of trivalent Am, Cm, Bk, and Cf show a break to much shorter metal–oxygen nearest‐neighbor bond lengths in the case of Cf³⁺. Corroborating those results, density functional theory calculations, extended to Es³⁺, suggest that the shorter Cf?O and Es?O bonds could arise from the departure of the coordinated water molecule and contraction of the ligand around the metal relative to the other [M^IIIDTPA(H₂O)]^2? (M=Am, Cm, Bk) complexes. Taken together, these experimental and theoretical results demonstrate inhomogeneity within the trivalent transplutonium series that has been insinuated and debated in recent years, and that may also be leveraged for future nuclear waste reprocessing technologies.     

Structural study of lanthanides(III) in aqueous nitrate and chloride solutions by EXAFS

Structural studies of lanthanide ions (Nd³⁺≈Lu³⁺: about 1 mol/l) in the aqueous chloride (HCl: 0≈6 mol/l) and nitrate (HNO₃: 0?13 mol/l) solutions were carried out by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). The radial structural functions appeared to be mainly characterized by hydration in both chloride and nitrate systems and coordination of nitrate ion in nitrate systems. These results indicated that nitrate ion forms inner-sphere complex with lanthanide but chloride ion hardly forms one. The quantitative analyses of EXAFS data have revealed that the total coordination numbers of lanthanide ranged from about 9 for light lanthanides to about 8 for heavy lanthanides in all the samples. The bond distances of Ln?O were from about 2.3 to 2.5 Å for Ln?OH₂ and from about 2.4 to 2.6 Å for Ln?O₂NO. Nitrate ion locates at 0.1 Å longer position than water, it suggested that nitrate ion ligates more weakly than water.     

Periodic trends and complexation chemistry of tetravalent actinide ions with a potential actinide decorporation agent 5-LIO(Me-3,2-HOPO): A relativistic density functional theory exploration

A relativistic density functional theory (DFT) study is reported which aims to understand the complexation chemistry of An⁴⁺ ions (An = Th, U, Np, and Pu) with a potential decorporation agent, 5-LIO(Me-3,2-HOPO). The calculations show that the periodic change of the metal binding free energy has an excellent correlation with the ionic radii and such change of ionic radii also leads to the structural modulation of actinide–ligand complexes. The calculated structural and binding parameters agree well with the available experimental data. Atomic charges derived from quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and natural bond order (NBO) analysis shows the major role of ligand-to-metal charge transfer in the stability of the complexes. Energy decomposition analysis, QTAIM, and electron localization function (ELF) predict that the actinide–ligand bond is dominantly ionic, but the contribution of orbital interaction is considerable and increases from Th⁴⁺ to Pu⁴⁺. A decomposition of orbital contributions applying the extended transition state-natural orbital chemical valence method points out the significant π-donation from the oxygen donor centers to the electron-poor actinide ion. Molecular orbital analysis suggests an increasing trend of orbital mixing in the context of 5f orbital participation across the tetravalent An series (Th-Pu). However, the corresponding overlap integral is found to be smaller than in the case of 6d orbital participation. An analysis of the results from the aforementioned electronic structure methods indicates that such orbital participation possibly arises due to the energy matching of ligand and metal orbitals and carries the signature of near-degeneracy driven covalency.     

Americium preferred: lanmodulin,a natural lanthanide-binding protein favors an actinide over lanthanides

The separation and recycling of lanthanides is an active area of research with a growing demand that calls for more environmentally friendly lanthanide sources. Likewise, the efficient and industrial separation of lanthanides from the minor actinides (Np, Am–Fm) is one of the key questions for closing the nuclear fuel cycle; reducing costs and increasing safety. With the advent of the field of lanthanide-dependent bacterial metabolism, bio-inspired applications are in reach. Here, we utilize the natural lanthanide chelator lanmodulin and the luminescent probes Eu³⁺ and Cm³⁺ to investigate the inter-metal competition behavior of all lanthanides (except Pm) and the major actinide plutonium as well as three minor actinides neptunium, americium and curium to lanmodulin. Using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy we show that lanmodulin has the highest relative binding affinity to Nd³⁺ and Eu³⁺ among the lanthanide series. When equimolar mixtures of Cm³⁺ and Am³⁺ are added to lanmodulin, lanmodulin preferentially binds to Am³⁺ over Cm³⁺ whilst Nd³⁺ and Cm³⁺ bind with similar relative affinity. The results presented show that a natural lanthanide-binding protein can bind a major and various minor actinides with high relative affinity, paving the way to bio-inspired separation applications. In addition, an easy and versatile method was developed, using the fluorescence properties of only two elements, Eu and Cm, for inter-metal competition studies regarding lanthanides and selected actinides and their binding to biological molecules.

In need of environmentally friendly methods for the separation and recycling of lanthanides and actinides, the binding of the protein lanmodulin to lanthanides and actinides was studied using time resolved laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Bonding Trends in Molecular Compounds of Lanthanides: The Double‐Bonded Carbene Cations LnCH2+ (Ln=Sc,Y, La–Lu)

Quasi‐relativistic Douglas–Kroll CASPT2 calculations are reported for the title molecules, mainly to provide primary data for a fit of double‐bond covalent radii. Indeed, a well‐developed σ²π² double bond is identified in all cases. For Eu and Yb, however, it is an excited state. The main valence orbitals of all Ln ions are 6s and 5d. In the σ bonds, more 5d than 6s character is found at the Ln. The Ln?C bond lengths show a systematic lanthanide contraction of 13 pm from La to Lu. An agostic symmetry breaking is demonstrated for Ce but its effect on the Ln? C length is small.     

Synthesis,crystal structure,and characterization of two-dimensional coordination polymers of three heavy rare-earth elements: [RE(5-Nip)(5-HNip)(H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O)<Subscript>2</Subscript>](H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O)<Subscript>2</Subscript> (RE = Y,Ho, Er)

Three new coordination polymers, [RE(5-Nip)(5-HNip)(H₂O)₂)] · 2H₂O (RE = Y (I), Ho (II), and Er (III)) were synthesized by hydrothermal reactions of lanthanide nitrates with 5-nitroisophthalic acid (H₂Nip) and characterized by IR spectra, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction studies suggest that all the two-dimensional 5-nitroisophthalic complexes crystallize in the P space group and are isomorphic. The two-dimensional layer-like structures are constructed by the lanthanide ions bridged by 5-Nip²⁻ ligands, and the layers further packed into 3D complexes through hydrogen bonds and two kinds of π-π stacking interactions. These complexes exhibit high stabilities up to 465 (1), 518 (2), and 528°C (3), respectively. According to the effective ionic radii of eight-coordinate lanthanide, Y(III) should be arranged before Ho(III) and Er(III), and we obtain a series of lines (except for the RE-OW bonds) in the corresponding RE-O against their ionic radii. In these complexes the yttrium complex could be located before the other two complexes according to the position of its ionic radius, and the ionic radii become a key factor in the formation of these complexes. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

The lanthanide contraction revisited

A complete, isostructural series of complexes with La-Lu (except Pm) with the ligand TREN-1,2-HOIQO has been synthesized and structurally characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray analysis. All complexes are 1D-polymeric species in the solid state, with the lanthanide being in an eight-coordinate, distorted trigonal-dodecahedral environment with a donor set of eight unique oxygen atoms. This series constitutes the first complete set of isostructural complexes from La-Lu (without Pm) with a ligand of denticity greater than two. The geometric arrangement of the chelating moieties slightly deviates across the lanthanide series, as analyzed by a shape parameter metric based on the comparison of the dihedral angles along all edges of the coordination polyhedron. The apparent lanthanide contraction in the individual Ln-O bond lengths deviates considerably from the expected quadratic decrease that was found previously in a number of complexes with ligands of low denticity. The sum of all bond lengths around the trivalent metal cation, however, is more regular, showing an almost ideal quadratic behavior across the entire series. The quadratic nature of the lanthanide contraction is derived theoretically from Slater's model for the calculation of ionic radii. In addition, the sum of all distances along the edges of the coordination polyhedron show exactly the same quadratic dependence as the Ln-X bond lengths. The universal validity of this coordination sphere contraction, concomitant with the quadratic decrease in Ln-X bond lengths, was confirmed by reexamination of four other, previously published series of lanthanide complexes. Owing to the importance of multidentate ligands for the chelation of rare-earth metals, this result provides a significant advance for the prediction and rationalization of the geometric features of the corresponding lanthanide complexes, with great potential impact for all aspects of lanthanide coordination.     

Ionic bonding of lanthanides,as influenced by d‐ and f‐atomic orbitals,by core–shells and by relativity

Lanthanide trihalide molecules LnX₃ (X = F, Cl, Br, I) were quantum chemically investigated, in particular detail for Ln = Lu (lutetium). We applied density functional theory (DFT) at the nonrelativistic and scalar and SO‐coupled relativistic levels, and also the ab initio coupled cluster approach. The chemically active electron shells of the lanthanide atoms comprise the 5d and 6s (and 6p) valence atomic orbitals (AO) and also the filled inner 4f semivalence and outer 5p semicore shells. Four different frozen‐core approximations for Lu were compared: the (1s²–4d¹⁰) [Pd] medium core, the [Pd+5s²5p⁶ = Xe] and [Pd+4f¹⁴] large cores, and the [Pd+4f¹⁴+5s²5p⁶] very large core. The errors of Lu? X bonding are more serious on freezing the 5p⁶ shell than the 4f¹⁴ shell, more serious upon core‐freezing than on the effective‐core‐potential approximation. The Ln? X distances correlate linearly with the AO radii of the ionic outer shells, Ln³⁺‐5p⁶ and X^?‐np⁶, characteristic for dominantly ionic Ln³⁺‐X^? binding. The heavier halogen atoms also bind covalently with the Ln‐5d shell. Scalar relativistic effects contract and destabilize the Lu? X bonds, spin orbit coupling hardly affects the geometries but the bond energies, owing to SO effects in the free atoms. The relativistic changes of bond energy BE, bond length R_e, bond force k, and bond stretching frequency v_s do not follow the simple rules of Badger and Gordy (R_e～BE～k～v_s). The so‐called degeneracy‐driven covalence, meaning strong mixing of accidentally near‐degenerate, nearly nonoverlapping AOs without BE contribution is critically discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A new method of determination of radii of ions with arbitrary effective charges

An equation for calculation of the radii of ions with an arbitrary effective charge has been derived. The ionic radii of halogens, chalcogens, and other atoms with different charges have been calculated. Under the assumption of pure ionic bond character, these values have been used for calculating the R ₁₂ distances for a large group of different molecules—halogens, interhalides, oxygen, chalcogens, and nitrogen and their compounds—by the previously derived equation for the a priori determination of internuclear distances. The error of calculation of the internuclear distance for halogens and interhalides is no more than 0.07 Å (3–4%). The internuclear distance in dihalogen cations Hal ₂ ⁺ and binary ionic molecules of p elements and their oxides and sulfides have been calculated. It has been demonstrated that the coordination (environment) of atoms should be taken into account and that there is a possibility of estimating the bond multiplicity and the character of bonding electron pairs in a molecule.     

Self-diffusion coefficients and structure of the trivalent transplutonium ion curium and gadolinium in aqueous solution

Self-diffusion coefficients D of the trivalent aquo ion Cm³⁺ have been determined in aqueous Nd(ClO₄)₃?HClO₄ solutions (pH 2.5) at 25°C, by the open-end capillary method (O. E. C. M.). The variation of D versus the square root of the concentration of inactive solution is an exponential form in the studied range of concentration. The limiting value D₀ at zero ionic strength is 6.0·10^?6 cm²·s^?1. The curve \(D = f(\sqrt c )\) relating to Cm³⁺ can be compared to those of²⁴¹Am³⁺ and¹⁵³Gd³⁺ obtained under similar conditions. We find a similar ionic structure of Cm³⁺ with Am³⁺ and Gd³⁺. They have the same hydration as a tripositive of 5f and 4f ions in the absence of hydrolysis, complexing, or pairing at pH 2.5. The present study contributes to show the analogy of the solvation structure of trivalent actinide ions in aqueous solution at pH 2.5 with that of the trivalent lanthanide ions as a help for predicting the thermodynamic properties.     

Coordination of Actinide Single Ions to Deformed Graphdiyne: Strategy on Essential Separation Processes in Nuclear Fuel Cycle

The coordination of actinides and lanthanides, as well as strontium and cesium with graphdiyne (GDY) was studied experimentally and theoretically. On the basis of experimental results and/or theoretical calculations, it was suggested that Th⁴⁺, Pu⁴⁺, Am³⁺, Cm³⁺, and Cs⁺ exist in single‐ion states on the special triangular structure of GDY with various coordination patterns, wherein GDY itself is deformed in different ways. Both experiment and theoretical calculations strongly indicate that UO₂²⁺, La³⁺, Eu³⁺, Tm³⁺ and Sr²⁺ are not adsorbed by GDY at all. The distinguished adsorption behaviors of GDY afford an important strategy for highly selective separation of actinides and lanthanides, Th⁴⁺ and UO₂²⁺, and Cs⁺ and Sr²⁺, in the nuclear fuel cycle. Also, the present work sheds light on an approach to explore the unique functions and physicochemical properties of actinides in single‐ion states.     

Crystal field analysis of LaCl3:Am3+ and AmCl3 and its relationship to the spectra of frozen solutions of Am3+(aquo)

A crystal field analysis of the energy level structure deduced in LaCl₃: Am₃₊ and in the isostructural compound AmCl₃ from spectroscopic measurements has been carried out using an effective operator Hamiltonian. Both free-ion and crystal field parameters were fitted to the data. While a shift in energy between transitions observed in the doped crystal and pure compound was noted, it was found that the same crystal field parameters were applicable to both samples. Shifts in centers of gravity of levels could be attributed to differences in free-ion structure. There is a clear similarity between spectra observed for the solid compounds studied and that observed for a frozen aqueous solution of Am³⁺. This indicates that the same symmetry-induced selection rules are operative and is consistent with a ninefold coordination by water molecules.