Evolution of the atomic order and valence state of rare-earth atoms and uranium in a new carbon-metal composite–diphthalocyanine pyrolysate C$_{64}$H$_{32}$N$_{16}$ Me (Me = Y, La, Ce, Eu, and U)

The structure of a metal-carbon composite formed by the pyrolysis of diphthalocyanine of some rare-earth elements (Y, La, Ce, Eu) and uranium in the temperature range $T_{\mathrm{ann}}$ = 800–1700$^\circ$C has been investigated for the first time by the methods of X-ray diffraction analysis and X-ray line shift. It has been shown that, in the general case, the studied pyrolysates consist of three phases. One phase corresponds to the structure of graphite. The second phase corresponds to nitrides, carbides, and oxides of basic metal elements with a crystallite size ranging from 5 to 100 nm. The third phase is amorphous or consisting of crystallites with a size of $\sim$1 nm. It has been found that all the basic elements (Y, La, Ce, Eu, U) and incorporated iodine atoms in the third phase are in a chemically bound state. The previously unobserved electronic configurations have been revealed for europium. The possibility of including not only atoms of elements forming diphthalocyanine but also other elements (for example, iodine) in the composite structure is of interest, in particular, for the creation of a thermally, chemically, and radiation resistant metal-carbon matrix for the radioactive waste storage.