title: A vibrational spectroscopic study of the phosphate mineral churchite (REE)(PO(4))⋅2H(2)O.
abstract: Vibrational spectroscopy has been used to study the rare earth mineral churchite of formula (REE)(PO4)⋅2H2O. The mineral contains a range of rare earth metals including yttrium depending on the locality. The Raman spectra of churchite-(REE) are characterized by an intense sharp band at 984cm(-1) assigned to the ν1(PO4(3-)) symmetric stretching mode. A lower intensity band observed at around 1067cm(-1) is attributed to the ν3(PO4(3-)) antisymmetric stretching mode. The (PO4(3-)) bending modes are observed at 497cm(-1) (ν2) and 565cm(-1)(ν4). Raman bands at 649 and 681cm(-1) are assigned to water librational modes. Vibrational spectroscopy enables aspects of the structure of churchite to be ascertained.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia. Electronic address: r.frost@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ray L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Geology Department, School of Mines, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG 35400-00, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia.
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xi
authors.affiliation: Mining Engineer Department, School of Mines, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto, MG 35400-00, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mauro Cândido
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Filho
mesh_terms: D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000737:chemistry*; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
chemical_list: D008674:Metals, Rare Earth; D008903:Minerals; D010710:Phosphates
keywords: Churchite-(REE); Hydrogen bond lengths; Molecular water; Phosphate; Raman spectroscopy; Rare earths