US EPA

3467597 

Journal Article 

Characterization of uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) with Raman spectroscopy 

Villa-Aleman, E; Wellons, MS 

2016 

Yes 

Journal of Raman Spectroscopy
ISSN: 0377-0486 

47 

7 

865-870 

10.1002/jrs.4909 

WOS:000380376100016 

The Raman spectrum of uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) is unambiguously characterized with multiple Raman excitation laser sources for the first time. Across different laser excitation wavelengths, UF4 demonstrates 16 distinct Raman bands within the 50-400cm(-1) region. The observed Raman bands are representative of various F-F vibrational modes. UF4 also shows intense fluorescent bands in the 325-750nm spectral region. Comparison of the UF4 spectrum with the ZrF4 spectrum, its crystalline analog, demonstrates a similar Raman band structure consistent with group theory predictions for expected Raman bands. Additionally, a demonstration of combined scanning electron microscopy and in situ Raman spectroscopy microanalytical measurements of UF4 particulates shows that despite the inherent weak intensity of Raman bands, identification and characterization are possible for micron-sized particulates with modern instrumentation. The published well-characterized UF4 spectrum is extremely relevant to nuclear materials and nuclear safeguard applications. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 

uranium tetrafluoride; nuclear forensics; in situ SEM; Raman spectroscopy