Flux Synthesis of Alkaline-Earth Lanthanide Borates as Potential Nuclear Waste Forms.

Neodymium is typically considered the best surrogate for trivalent americium and can be used to identify Am containing materials that are likely to form. We have explored the alkaline-earth lanthanide borate phase space using alkaline-earth halide/carbonate fluxes. This resulted in the synthesis of new compounds AELn(BO)X (AE = Ca, Sr; Ln = Pr, Nd, Eu, Tb; X = Cl, Br) and AELn(BO) (AE = Sr, Ba; Ln = Pr, Nd) as well as the synthesis of two compounds of BaLn(BO)(BO) (Ln = Eu, Tb) crystallizing in a new structure type.

Flux Crystal Growth of the Extended Structure Pu(V) Borate Na(PuO)(BO).

As part of our exploration of plutonium-containing materials as potential nuclear waste forms, we report the first extended structure Pu(V) material and the first Pu(V) borate. Crystals of Na(PuO)(BO) were grown out of mixed hydroxide/boric acid flux and found to crystallize in the orthorhombic space group with lattice parameters of = 9.9067(4) Å, = 6.

Crystallization of ALn(BO) (A = Na, K; Ln = Lanthanide) from a Boric Acid Containing Hydroxide Melt: Synthesis and Investigation of Lanthanide Borates as Potential Nuclear Waste Forms.

A series of alkali metal rare-earth borates were prepared via high-temperature flux crystal growth, and their structures were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD). NaLn(BO) (Ln = La-Lu) crystallize in the monoclinic space group 2/, the potassium series KLn(BO) (Ln = La-Tb) crystallize in the orthorhombic space group while the Ln = Dy, Ho, Tm, Yb analogues crystallize in the orthorhombic space group . To demonstrate the generality of this synthetic technique, high-entropy oxide (HEO) compositions KNdEuGdDyHo(BO) and KNdEuHoTmYb(BO) were obtained in single crystal form.

Spatial co-localisation of extreme weather events: a clear and present danger.

Extreme weather events have become a dominant feature of the narrative surrounding changes in global climate with large impacts on ecosystem stability, functioning and resilience; however, understanding of their risk of co-occurrence at the regional scale is lacking. Based on the UK Met Office's long-term temperature and rainfall records, we present the first evidence demonstrating significant increases in the magnitude, direction of change and spatial co-localisation of extreme weather events since 1961. Combining this new understanding with land-use data sets allowed us to assess the likely consequences on future agricultural production and conservation priority areas.