Chemical quenching by water of the photoexcited uranyl ion in aqueous acidic solution

Abstract

Several unusual features of uranyl photophysics in aqueous acidic solution, which we have previously explained by a more involved photophysical scheme than that generally adopted, are further clarified quantitatively. From concentration-quenching studies in H₂O and D₂O, it can be shown that the decrease in the luminescence yield on changing from D₂O to H₂O is due to a more active H-abstraction from H₂O than of D from D₂O by the highly reactive (5f, δ_u or ϕ_u), π³_u luminescent state of uranyl.