Synthesis and Structural Characterization of K3Th2(PO4)3F2 and RbThPO4F2 as Potential Nuclear Waste Storage Materials

Abstract  

Two new alkali thorium phosphate materials, K₃Th₂(PO₄)₃F₂ and RbThPO₄F₂, were isolated by hydrothermal synthesis at 575 °C. These structures were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction using a full-matrix least squares method. The K₃Th₂(PO₄)₃F₂ compound crystallizes in C2/c (No. 15) with a = 15.8179(15) ?, b = 9.8172(8) ?, c = 9.6472(9) ?, β = 121.132(7)°, Z = 4 and R ₁ = 0.0329. This structure contains two large open channels possibly suitable for incorporating radioactive cesium isotopes for waste storage. The RbThPO₄F₂ structure forms in the P2 ₁ /m (No. 11) space group with a = 6.719(4) ?, b = 6.002(3) ?, c = 7.431(5) ?, β = 113.925(19)°, Z = 2 and R ₁ = 0.0359. Unique to this material is a chain of edge sharing thorium with square antiprism coordination environments where fluorine occupies both sites along the edge. Both structures also represent the first occurrences of a fluorinated alkali thorium phosphate material.