Uranyl sulfate describes a family of inorganic compounds with the formula UO2SO4(H2O)n. These salts consist of sulfate, the uranyl ion, and water. They are lemon-yellow solids. Uranyl sulfates are intermediates in some extraction methods used for uranium ores.[1] These compounds can also take the form of an anhydrous salt.

Uranyl sulfate
Ball-and-stick model of the uranyl cation
Ball-and-stick model of the uranyl cation
Ball-and-stick model of the sulfate anion
Ball-and-stick model of the sulfate anion
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.013.856 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • anhydrous:: 215-240-3
UNII
UN number 2909
  • InChI=1S/H2O4S.2O.U/c1-5(2,3)4;;;/h(H2,1,2,3,4);;;/q;;;+2/p-2
    Key: XEZIPWHQHLVFHG-UHFFFAOYSA-L
  • monohdyrate:: InChI=1S/H2O4S.H2O.2O.U/c1-5(2,3)4;;;;/h(H2,1,2,3,4);1H2;;;/q;;;;+2/p-2
    Key: GSSXPGLZRCAGDP-UHFFFAOYSA-L
  • dihdyrate:: InChI=1S/H2O4S.2H2O.2O.U/c1-5(2,3)4;;;;;/h(H2,1,2,3,4);2*1H2;;;/q;;;;;+2/p-2
    Key: PJGZKVQRFYKDMB-UHFFFAOYSA-L
  • trihdyrate:: InChI=1S/H2O4S.3H2O.2O.U/c1-5(2,3)4;;;;;;/h(H2,1,2,3,4);3*1H2;;;/q;;;;2*-2;/p-2
    Key: SBCFBOOTSWECOA-UHFFFAOYSA-L
  • pentahydrate:: InChI=1S/H2O4S.5H2O.2O.U/c1-5(2,3)4;;;;;;;;/h(H2,1,2,3,4);5*1H2;;;/q;;;;;;;;+2/p-2
    Key: FJVCKQOAEFENSP-UHFFFAOYSA-L
  • anhydrous:: [O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].O=[U+2]=O
  • monohdyrate:: O.[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].O=[U+2]=O
  • dihdyrate:: O.O.[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].O=[U+2]=O
  • trihdyrate:: O.O.O.[O-2].[O-2].[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].[U]
  • pentahydrate:: O.O.O.O.O.[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].O=[U+2]=O
Properties
UO2SO4
Molar mass 366.09 g/mol
Density 3.28 g/cm3 @ 20 °C
27.5 g/100 mL in water at 25 °C
Related compounds
Other anions
Uranyl chloride
Uranyl nitrate
Uranyl carbonate
Related compounds
Uranium dioxide
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Structure

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The structure of UO2(SO4)(H2O)3.5 is illustrative of the uranyl sulfates. The trans-UO22+ centers are encased in a pentagonal bipyramidal coordination sphere. In the pentagonal plane are five oxygen ligands derived from sulfate and aquo ligands. The compound is a coordination polymer.[2]

Uses

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Aside from the large scale use in mining, uranyl sulfate finds some use as a negative stain in microscopy and tracer in biology. The Aqueous Homogeneous Reactor experiment, constructed in 1951, circulated a fuel composed of 565 grams of U-235 enriched to 14.7% in the form of uranyl sulfate.

The acid process of milling uranium ores involves precipitating uranyl sulfate from the pregnant leaching solution to produce the semi-refined product referred to as yellowcake.[3]

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References

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  1. ^ Peehs, Martin; Walter, Thomas; Walter, Sabine; Zemek, Martin (2007). "Uranium, Uranium Alloys, and Uranium Compounds". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a27_281.pub2. ISBN 978-3527306732.
  2. ^ Zalkin, Allan; Ruben, Helena; Templeton, David H. (1978). "Structure of a New Uranyl Sulfate Hydrate α-2UO2SO4.7H2O". Inorganic Chemistry. 17 (12): 3701–3702. doi:10.1021/ic50190a075.
  3. ^ "Metallurgy". MQes Uranium Inc. Retrieved 2 June 2012.
  4. ^ Betke, Ulf; Wickleder, Mathias S. (2012). "Oleum and Sulfuric Acid as Reaction Media: The Actinide Examples UO2(S2O7)-lt (Low temperature), UO2(S2O7)-ht (High temperature), UO2(HSO4)2, An(SO4)2 (An = Th, U), Th4(HSO4)2(SO4)7 and Th(HSO4)2(SO4)". European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry. 2012 (2): 306–317. doi:10.1002/ejic.201100975.