On the Cover of Inorganic Chemistry! – PCMT Team Illuminates Uranium Chemistry

Uranium Chemistry Makes the Cover!

The PCMT team at PhLAM is proud to share that its recent work on uranium(IV) speciation in acidic aqueous solutions has been featured on the cover of Inorganic Chemistry. This study, led by PhD student Gema Raposo-Hernández in the context of a collaboration with the University of Seville, combines quantum-statistical simulations with UV‑Vis, EXAFS, and XANES spectroscopy to unravel how U⁴⁺ coordinates with water under highly acidic conditions. The results highlight a preference for nine-fold coordination, challenging long-standing assumptions and offering new insights into actinide solvation.

Published under the title “U⁴⁺ Speciation in Acidic Aqueous Solution: Insights from UV‑Vis, EXAFS, XANES, and Quantum‑Statistical Simulations” (DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5c01854), the article features contributions from Gema Raposo-Hernández, Rafael R. Pappalardo, Florent Réal, Valérie Vallet, and Enrique Sánchez‑Marcos. The cover artwork celebrates this achievement by illustrating the dynamic coordination environment of U⁴⁺ in solution — a vivid representation of the PCMT team’s commitment to bridging theory and experiment in complex chemical systems.