Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl oxyhydroxide hydrates: becquerelite, billietite, curite, schoepite and vandendriesscheite

Raman and infrared spectra of five uranyl oxyhydroxide hydrates, becquerelite, billietite, curite, schoepite and vandendriesscheite, are reported. The observed bands are attributed to the (UO 2 ) 2+ stretching and bending vibrations, UOH bending vibrations and H 2 O and (OH) − stretching, bending and libration modes. The UO bond lengths in uranyls and the O H···O bond lengths are calculated from the wavenumbers assigned to the stretching vibrations. They are close to the values inferred and/or predicted from the X‐ray single‐crystal structure. The complex hydrogen‐bonding network arrangement was proved in the structures of all the minerals studied. This hydrogen bonding contributes to the stability of these uranyl minerals.