Actinide oxalates, solid state structures and applications

• Complete overview of the wealth of actinide oxalate arrangements in the solid state.
• Important role of actinide oxalates particularly in the nuclear industry.
• Crystal growth methods adapted to actinide oxalates.
• Recent progress crystal growth and structure determination of transuranic oxalates.
• Ongoing research challenges with mixed actinide and/or mixed valence actinide oxalates.

Actinide oxalates are an important class of materials mainly for the nuclear industry. This review presents the crystal growth methods addressed to non-soluble actinide (III) and (IV) oxalates and to soluble actinyl oxalates. Actinide-oxalate discrete ions, one-dimensional coordination polymers and two- or three-dimensional frameworks are described for the different oxidation states of actinides in simple, double or triple actinide oxalates together with mixed actinide (IV)-lanthanide (III) or -actinide (III) and mixed ligands actinide oxalates. The main applications of actinide oxalates, particularly for radioactive waste management and nuclear fuel treatment and recycling are also reported.

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