A Raman and infrared spectroscopic study of the uranyl silicates--weeksite, soddyite and haiweeite

Abstract

Raman spectroscopy has been used to study the molecular structure of a series of selected uranyl silicate minerals, including weeksite K2[(UO2)2(Si5O13)].H2O, soddyite [(UO2)2SiO4.2H2O] and haiweeite Ca[(UO2)2(Si5O12(OH)2](H2O)3 with UO2(2+)/SiO2 molar ratio 2:1 or 2:5. Raman spectra clearly show well resolved bands in the 750-800 cm-1 region and in the 950-1000 cm-1 region assigned to the nu1 modes of the (UO2)2+ units and to the (SiO4)4- tetrahedra. For example, soddyite is characterized by Raman bands at 828.0, 808.6 and 801.8 cm-1 (UO2)2+ (nu1), 909.6 and 898.0 cm-1 (UO2)2+ (nu3), 268.2, 257.8 and 246.9 cm-1 are assigned to the nu2 (delta) (UO2)2+. Coincidences of the nu1 (UO2)2+ and the nu1 (SiO4)4- is expected. Bands at 1082.2, 1071.2, 1036.3, 995.1 and 966.3 cm-1 are attributed to the nu3 (SiO4)4-. Sets of Raman bands in the 200-300 cm-1 region are assigned to nu2 (delta) (UO2)2+ and UO ligand vibrations. Multiple bands indicate the non-equivalence of the UO bonds and the lifting of the degeneracy of nu2 (delta) (UO2)2+ vibrations. The (SiO4)4- tetrahedral are characterized by bands in the 470-550 cm-1 and in the 390-420 cm-1 region. These bands are attributed to the nu4 and nu2 (SiO4)4- bending modes. The minerals show characteristic OH stretching bands in the 2900-3500 cm-1 and 3600-3700 cm-1.