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Title: Studies of layered uranium(VI) compounds. IV. Proton conductivity in single-crystal hydrogen uranyl phosphate tetrahydrate (HUP) and in polycrystalline hydrogen uranyl arsenate tetrahydrate (HUAs)

Journal Article · · J. Solid State Chem.; (United States)

Single-crystal measurements on hydrogen uranyl phosphate tetrahydrate, HUO/sub 2/PO/sub 4/.4H/sub 2/O (HUP), have confirmed that the high proton conductivity is a bulk characteristic. The conductivity values were in substantial agreement with those previously reported for polycrystalline disks. A conductivity of 0.6 ohm/sup -1/ m/sup -1/ at 290/sup 0/K and an activation energy of 30 +- 1 kJ mole/sup -1/ were measured parallel to the structural layers of the crystal. The conductivity was at least 100 times lower when measured in the perpendicular direction. A reasonable attempt frequency ..omega../sub 0/ of approximately 10/sup 15/ Hz could be derived from the parallel conductivity on the assumption that the charge carrier concentration was equal to that of the H/sub 3/O/sup +/ ions. This implies a low proton mobility, of the order of 10/sup -9/ m/sup 2/ V/sup -1/ sec/sup -1/ at 290/sup 0/K, in support of previous estimates. We have also shown that polycrystalline hydrogen uranyl arsenate tetrahydrate, HUO/sub 2/AsO/sub 4/.4H/sub 2/O (HUAs), has a high conductivity of 0.6 ohm/sup -1/ cm/sup -1/ at 310/sup 0/K, with an activation energy of 31 +- 2 kJ mole/sup -1/. Below the respective dielectric ordering transition temperatures of HUP and HUAs of 274 and 301/sup 0/K, the lower conductivity values show a marked frequency dependence, which may be due to dispersion effects caused by water reorientations.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Leeds, England
OSTI ID:
6873023
Journal Information:
J. Solid State Chem.; (United States), Vol. 34:2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English