Structural investigations of PuIII phosphate by X-ray diffraction, MAS-NMR and XANES spectroscopy

Abstract PuPO 4 was prepared by a solid state reaction method and its crystal structure at room temperature was solved by powder X-ray diffraction combined with Rietveld refinement. High resolution XANES measurements confirm the +III valence state of plutonium, in agreement with valence bond derivation. The presence of the americium (as β − decay product of plutonium) in the +III oxidation state was determined based on XANES spectroscopy. High resolution solid state 31 P NMR agrees with the XANES results and the presence of a solid-solution.