Synthesis and characterization of uranium (IV) phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate and cerium (IV) phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate

A new uranium (IV) phosphate of proposed formula U₂(PO₄)₂HPO₄·H₂O, i.e. uranium phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate (UPHPH), was synthesized in autoclave and/or in polytetrafluoroethylene closed containers at 150 °C by three ways: from uranium (IV) hydrochloric solution and phosphoric acid, from uranium dioxide and phosphoric acid and by transformation of the uranium hydrogenphosphate hydrate U(HPO₄)₂·nH₂O. The new product appears similar to the previously published thorium phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate Th₂(PO₄)₂HPO₄·H₂O (TPHPH). From preliminary studies, it was found that UPHPH crystallizes in monoclinic system (, , , β=91.67(3)° and ). Heated under inert atmosphere, this compound is decomposed above 400 °C into uranium phosphate-triphosphate U₂(PO₄)P₃O₁₀, uranium diphosphate α-UP₂O₇ and diuranium oxide phosphate U₂O(PO₄)₂.Crystallized cerium (IV) phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate Ce₂(PO₄)₂HPO₄·H₂O (CePHPH) was also synthesized from (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆ and phosphoric acid solutions by the same method (monoclinic system: , , , β=91.98(1)° and ). When heating above 600 °C, cerium (IV) is reduced into Ce (III) and forms a mixture of CePO₄ (monazite structure) and CeP₃O₉.