Diffusion characteristics of U(IV) and Pu(III) ions in eutectic melts LiF-NaF and LiF-CaF2 according to molecular dynamics calculations

The diffusion characteristics of U(IV) and Pu(III) ions in model melts 66LiF-44NaF at 1000–1600 K and 80LiF-20CaF₂ at 1050–1600 K have been calculated by the molecular dynamics method. The diffusion activation energies of U(IV) and Pu(III) ions in the these melts have been calculated.     

Synthesis and characterization of N,N,N',N'-tetrabutylsuccinamide as extractant for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) ions from nitric acid solution

Synthesis and characterization of N,N,N',N'-tetrabutylsuccinamide (TBSA)was carried out and used for the extraction of U(VI) and Th(IV) from nitricacid solutions. Toluene was found to be the most suitable diluent for TBSAcompared with the other diluents tested. Extraction distribution ratios (D)of U(VI) and Th(IV) have been studied as a function of aqueous HNO 3 concentrations,NO₃ – ion concentration, TBSA concentration and temperature.The results obtained indicated that U(VI) and Th(IV) are mainly extractedas UO₂ (NO₃ ) ₂ . ₂TBSA and Th(NO₃ ) ₄ . TBSA, respectively, and the IR spectra of the extractedspecies have been investigated. The values of thermodynamic functions havebeen calculated. Back-extraction of U(VI) and Th(IV) from organic phases wasalso studied.     

Adaptable coordination of U(IV) in the 2D-(4,4) uranium oxalate network: From 8 to 10 coordinations in the uranium (IV) oxalate hydrates

Crystals of uranium (IV) oxalate hydrates, U(C₂O₄)₂·6H₂O (1) and U(C₂O₄)₂·2H₂O (2), were obtained by hydrothermal methods using two different U(IV) precursors, U₃O₈ oxide and nitric U(IV) solution in presence of hydrazine to avoid oxidation of U(IV) into uranyl ion. Growth of crystals of solvated monohydrated uranium (IV) oxalate, U(C₂O₄)₂·H₂O·(dma) (3), dma=dimethylamine, was achieved by slow diffusion of U(IV) into a gel containing oxalate ions. The three structures are built on a bi-dimensional complex polymer of U(IV) atoms connected through bis-bidentate oxalate ions forming [U(C₂O₄)]₄ pseudo-squares. The flexibility of this supramolecular arrangement allows modifications of the coordination number of the U(IV) atom which, starting from 8 in 1 increases to 9 in 3 and, finally increases, to 10 in 2. The coordination polyhedron changes from a distorted cube, formed by eight oxygen atoms of four oxalate ions, in 1, to a mono-capped square anti-prism in 3 and, finally, to a di-capped square anti-prism in 2, resulting from rotation of the oxalate ions and addition of one and two water oxygen atoms in the coordination of U(IV). In 1, the space between the _∞²[U(C₂O₄)₂] planar layers is occupied by non-coordinated water molecules; in 2, the space between the staggered _∞²[U(C₂O₄)₂·2H₂O] layers is empty, finally in 3, the solvate molecules occupy the interlayer space between corrugated _∞²[U(C₂O₄)₂·H₂O] sheets. The thermal decomposition of U(C₂O₄)₂·6H₂O under air and argon atmospheres gives U₃O₈ and UO₂, respectively.     

Formation of excited uranyl in oxidation of tetravalent uranium with oxygen in HClO<Subscript>4</Subscript> aqueous solutions: IV. Enhancement of the chemiluminescent reaction in the presence of Fe<Superscript>2+</Superscript>

Experimental data that support the hypothesis on the determining role of ^•OH radicals in the emergence of luminescence during the oxidation of U(IV) with atmospheric oxygen in aqueous HClO₄ solutions have been obtained using the H₂O₂-FeSO₄ system as a source of OH radicals. It has been found that brighter chemiluminescence (CL) is observed in the presence of 10⁻⁵ mol/l Fe²⁺ in a 5 × 10⁻⁴ mol/l U(IV) solution in 0.1 mol/l HClO₄ compared with the FeSO₄-free solution. The CL yield in the presence of Fe²⁺ (η_CL = 3.9 × 10⁻⁸) is 2.8 times that in the solution without iron (η_CL = 1.4 × 10⁻⁸). These results can be regarded as a further piece of evidence for the idea that the elementary event of the formation of a CL emitter—electronically excited uranyl ion *(UO₂²⁺)—in radical chain U(IV) oxidation reactions is electron transfer from the uranoyl ion (UO₂⁺) to the oxidant, the ^•OH radical. Thus, one of the main prerequisites for light emission during U(IV) oxidation reactions is a high generation efficiency of ^•OH radicals and their easy access to the uranoyl UO₂⁺ ion.     

Bis-cyclopentadienyl alkoxides and aryl oxides of uranium(IV). Influence of the steric hindrance of the R groups on the stability of the Cp2U(OR)2, Cp2U(OC6H4R)2 and Cp2U(OC6H3R2)2 derivatives

Reactions of Cp₂U(NEt₂)₂ with the moderately acidic agents ROH and ArOH lead to the cleavage of the UNEt₂ bonds and formation of di-cyclopentadienyl dialkoxides and diaryl oxides of uranium(IV). The yields of the new derivatives are strongly dependent on the bulk of the OR or OAr groups; they can undergo disproportionation or decomposition reactions with formation of tris-cyclopentadienyl derivatives of uranium(IV). With the high-sterically crowded 2,6-(Bu^t)₂C₆H₃OH ligand only one UNEt₂ bond is cleaved, with formation of the stable Cp₂U(OAr)(NEt₂) complex. The tris-cyclopentadienyl aryl oxides of uranium(IV) formed in the disproportionation reactions of the bis-cyclopentadienyl diaryl oxides have been also obtained by reaction of Cp₃UNEt₂ with ArOH.     

Involvement of ·OH radicals in the mechanism of excitation of the uranyl ion in the chemiluminescent oxidation of U(IV) by atmospheric oxygen in aqueous solutions of perchloric acid

The chemiluminescence (CL) kinetics in U(IV) oxidation by atmospheric oxygen in aqueous HClO₄ has been investigated. The CL quantum yield (η_CL, E/(mol U(IV))) in this reaction is 1.4 × 10^?8. The elementary event generating the CL emitter, which is the electronically excited uranyl ion *(UO ₂ ²⁺ ), is electron transfer from the uranyl ion UO ₂ ⁺ to the oxidizer (^·OH radical). The Ag⁺ ion quenches CL, and the Cu²⁺ ion enhances CL.     

The solvent extraction of UO 2 2+ and Th4+ with petroleum sulfoxide

The influence of the concentration of nitric, hydrochloric and phosphoric acids, petroleum sulfoxides (PSO), salting-out agent, kind of diluent and temperature on the distribution ratio of U(VI) and Th(IV) has been systematically studied. It is found that the extraction regularity of PSO is similar to that of TBP. The distribution ratio in phosphoric acid is lower, but it increases with the increase of hydrochloric acid concentration and reaches a high value. The U(VI) exhibits the maximum distribution ratio at 3–4 mol/l HNO₃. The distribution ratio of U(VI) and Th(IV) increases rapidly in the presence of a salting out agent. The extracted compounds are determined to be UO₂(NO₃)₂2PSO and Th(NO₃)₄2PSO. The extraction enthalpies of U(VI) and Th(IV) with PSO were also calculated.     

Solvation of U(IV) Ion in LiF and 80LiF-20CaF2 melts according to molecular dynamics data

The structural and dynamic features of solvation of the U(IV) ion in model molten LiF and 80LiF-20CaF₂ at 1050–1600 K were studied by molecular dynamics simulation.     

Reversed-phase partition chromatographic separation of minor actinides with bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfoxide from acidic nitrate PUREX waste solutions

The uptake behavior of U(VI), Pu(IV), Am(III) and a few long-lived fission products from nitric acid media by bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfoxide (BESO) adsorbed on Chromosorb has been studied U(VI), Pu(IV) and Zr(IV) are taken up appreciably as compared to trivalent actinides/lanthanides including some coexisting fission product contaminants which are weakly sorbed on the column. Chromosorb could be loaded with (1.12±0.03) g of BESO per g of the support. Maximum sorption is observed around 4–5 mol·dm^–3 HNO₃ for both U(VI) and Pu(IV), which are sorbed as their disolvates. The elution of (U(VI) and Pu(IV) from the metal loaded sorbent has also been optimized. Desorption of U(VI) is easily accomplished with dilute nitric acid (ca. 0.01 mol·dm^–3)while Pu(IV) is reductively stripped with 0.1 mol·dm^–3 NH₂OH·HCl. Effective sequential separation of U(VI), Pu(IV) and Am(III) from their several admixtures could be readily achieved from real medium and low level active acidic process raffinates.     

Keggin Polyoxotungstoborate with Uranium(IV)

A new uranium tungstoborate heteropolyanion K₁₂[U(BW₁₁O₃₉H)₂]·23 H₂O has been prepared and investigated by thermal analyses, IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements. The compound obtained from Keggin monolacunary anions is 1:2 sandwich-type and exhibits a square antiprismatic stereochemistry for uranium (IV) ion.     

Transport of U(VI) from sulphuric acid medium across supported liquid membrane (SLM) containing di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA)/n-dodecane as a carrier

This paper reports on the supported liquid membrane (SLM) based transport studies of U(VI) from sulphate medium using di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid/n-dodecane as carrier. Polytetrafluoroethylene membrane was used as solid support and H₂SO₄ as receiver phase. The effects of various parameters such as receiver phase concentration, feed acidity, carrier concentration, U(VI) concentration, membrane thickness and membrane pore size on U(VI) transport had been investigated. With increase in H₂SO₄ concentrations and pH of feed solution there is an increase in U(VI) transport across the SLM. Similarly with increase in membrane thickness the U(VI) transport decrease whereas in case of pore size variation reverse results are obtained. The membrane thickness variation results showed that the U(VI) transport across the SLM is entirely diffusion controlled and the diffusion coefficient the D _(o) was calculated as 1.36 × 10^?7 cm² s^?1. Based on optimized condition, a scheme had been tested for selective recovery of U(VI) from ore leach solution containing a large number of other metal ions.     

Extraction of U(VI), Zr(IV) and Th(IV) from perchlorate media, by PC-88A

Extraction of U(VI), Zr(IV) and Th(IV) has been investigated from perchlorate media using 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (PC-88A) dissolved in toluene. The extraction of U(VI), Zr(IV) and Th(IV) was found to be quantitative in the pH range 1.6 to 3.2, 2.0 to 4.7 and 2.3 to 3.8, respectively, with 3.0^.10^-3, 5.6^.10^-4 and 1.0^.10^-2M PC-88A dissolved in toluene. U(VI) was stripped with 4.0M HCl, Zr(IV) with 2.5M NaF and Th(IV) with 8.0M HCl from the metal loaded organic phase containing PC-88A dissolved in toluene. The probable extracted species have been ascertained by plotting log D vs. log [HR] as UO₂R₂ ^.2HR, ZrR₄ ^.2HR and ThR₄ ^.4HR, respectively. U(VI) was separated from Zr(IV) and Th(IV) and from other associated metals. This method was proved by the determination of U(VI) in some real samples.     

Bestimmung von Verteilungsverhältnissen von Uran(IV) mit Hilfe der Extraktionschromatographie in dem System: unverdünntes Tri-n-butylphosphat und wäßrige Salpetersäure

The distribution ratio of U(IV),D _U(IV), between undiluted tri-n-butyl phosphate and aqueous nitric acid has been determined by means of extraction chromatographic columns. The separation factor, β, of U(VI) and U)IV) (defined as the ratio of the distribution ratios,D, \(\beta = \frac{{D_{U(VI)} }}{{D_{U(IV)} }}\) ) was obtained experimentally via the retention volumes.D _U(VI) is known from the literature andD _U(IV) was calculated. TheD _U(IV)-values agree with those obtained by batch experiments, the reproducibility was even better. The stability of U(IV) in the chromatographic columns is good. In the very rare cases, in which U(IV) was oxidized to U(VI) during the experiment, this can be recognized from the shape of the elution curve, because the U(IV) peak shows a tailing. As long as the U(IV) peak is visible, even these experiments can be evaluated which was not possible in batch experiments.     

Reaction between U(IV) and H2O2 in hydrochloric acid medium

Kinetic investigations on the reaction between U(IV) and H₂O₂ have been carried out at different acidities in chloride medium at an ionic strength of 2M. The observed bimolecular rate constant has been found to be dependant on [H⁺]^?1.3. The activation energy of the overall reaction has been found to vary from 13.4 ± 0.7 to 18.0 ± 0.8 kcal/mol in the range of acidity from 0.3 to 1.5M. The results have been explained on the basis of three parallel rate-controlling reactions involving unhydrolyzed species of U(IV) and hydrolyzed species UCl(OH)²⁺ and UO²⁺. The values of the rate constants for these three reaction paths have been found to be of the order of 3.95, 5.59 × 10³, and 1.49 × 10⁵M^?1 min^?1, respectively.     

The effect of coordinated water on the connectivity of uranium(IV) sulfate x‐hydrate: [U(SO4)2(H2O)5]·H2O and [U(SO4)2(H2O)6]·2H2O,and a comparison with other known structures

Two new solid‐state uranium(IV) sulfate x‐hydrate complexes (where x is the total number of coordinated plus solvent waters), namely catena‐poly[[pentaaquauranium(IV)]‐di‐μ‐sulfato‐κ⁴O:O′] monohydrate], {[U(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₅]·H₂O}_n, and hexaaquabis(sulfato‐κ²O,O′)uranium(IV) dihydrate, [U(SO₄)₂(H₂O)₆]·2H₂O, have been synthesized, structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and analyzed by vibrational (IR and Raman) spectroscopy. By comparing these structures with those of four other known uranium(IV) sulfate x‐hydrates, the effect of additional coordinated water molecules on their structures has been elucidated. As the number of coordinated water molecules increases, the sulfate bonds are displaced, thus changing the binding mode of the sulfate ligands to the uranium centre. As a result, uranium(IV) sulfate x‐hydrate changes from being fully crosslinked in three dimensions in the anhydrous compound, through sheet and chain linking in the tetra‐ and hexahydrates, to fully unlinked molecules in the octa‐ and nonahydrates. It can be concluded that coordinated waters play an important role in determining the structure and connectivity of U^IV sulfate complexes.     

Equilibrium distribution of lanthanum,neodymium, and thorium between fluoride salt melts and liquid bismuth

The extraction of lanthanum, neodymium, and thorium from 73LiF-27BeF₂, 78LiF-22ThF₄, 75LiF-5BeF₂-20ThF₄, 15LiF-58NaF-27BeF₂, and 60LiF-40NaF (mol %) fluoride salt melts into liquid bismuth with admixtures of lithium as a reducing agent was studied at 580–750°C. Equilibrium values of their distribution coefficients were measured. Beryllium as distinct from neodymium and lanthanum almost was not extracted into bismuth from salt beryllium-containing compositions. A decrease in the mole fraction of LiF in LiF-BeF₂ melts substantially increased the effectiveness of its purification from lanthanides. The LiF-ThF₄ and LiF-BeF₂-ThF₄ salt mixtures with comparatively high thorium concentrations (≥20–22 mol %) could not be used for effective separation of lanthanides and thorium in a system for extraction processing of fuel salts.     

The study of the Cd(NH3) 4 2+ /Cd*(NH3) 4 2+ exchange reaction in hydrous oxides of zirconium(IV), silicon(IV) and tin(IV)

Kinetics of the exchange reaction of cadmium(II)-ammine complex ion using radio-active isotope¹¹⁵Cd in the same chemical form in hydrous oxides of zirconium(IV), silicon(IV) and tin(IV) has been studied. It has been found that the major contribution in the overall exchange process is from the surface of the exchanger particles. It has also been found that the rate of exchange follows the order: hydrous ZrO₂>hydrous SnO₂>hydrous SiO₂     

Thermodynamic properties and phase diagrams of fluoride salts for nuclear applications

This work is a critical review of the chemical-physical properties of the fluoride salts of interest in the Molten Salt Reactor project. In total five salt compositions are discussed. Two of them are choices for coolant applications (based on LiF-BeF₂ and NaF-NaBF₄ systems) one is considered as a heat transfer salt (LiF-NaF-KF system) whereas the other two are the main candidates for the fuels in non-moderated breeder and thermal breeder reactors, respectively (LiF-ThF₄ and LiF-BeF₂-ThF₄ systems). For all the systems the phase diagrams are presented with the emphasis on the melting behaviour and the vapour pressure. Heat capacity, density, viscosity and thermal conductivity, as well as the solubility for actinides in case of the fuels are presented also.     

Die Isolierung und Charakterisierung von Komplexen des Uran (IV) mit Di-(2-äthylhexyl)-orthophosphorsäure aus Perchlor-, Schwefel- und Salpetersäurelösungen

Zusammenfassung Die Herstellung und Charakterisierung von Komplexen des Uran (IV) durch Extraktion des U(IV) aus schwefel-, perchlor-, phosphor- und salpetersauren Lösungen mit unverdünnter Di-(2-äthylhexyl)-orthophosphorsäure (HDEHP) wird beschrieben. Die Zusammensetzung der in Kontakt mit Schwefelund Perchlorsäure erhaltenen Komplexe entspricht der Formel [U(DEHP)₄] _n , die in Kontakt mit Salpetersäure erhaltenen Komplexe besitzen die Formel [U(NO₃)(DEHP)₃] _n . Durch Aufnahme von Absorptionsspektren im infraroten Bereich (4000 bis 625 cm^–1) konnten Anhaltspunkte über die Struktur der Komplexe-insbesondere über die Anwesenheit des Nitrats-erhalten werden. Die charakteristischen Banden werden diskutiert und mögliche Bindungsarten des Nitrats und Urans besprochen.

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The isolation and characterization of complexes of uranium (IV) with di-(2-ethylhexyl)-orthophosphoric acid from perchloric, sulphuric and nitric acid solutions

The preparation and characterization of complexes of uranium(IV) by extraction of U(IV) from sulfuric, perchloric, phosphoric and nitric acid solutions with undiluted di-(2-ethylhexyl)-orthophosphoric acid (HDEHP) is described. The composition of the complexes in contact with sulfuric and perchloric acid follows the formula [U(DEHP)₄] _n ; complexes in contact with nitric acid correspond to [U(NO₃)(DEHP)₃] _n . Absorption spectroscopy in the infrared region (4000–625 cm^–1) yielded structural information about these complexes, especially about the presence of nitrate. The characteristic absorption bands are discussed as well as possible types of bonding of the nitrate ion and of uranium.

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Herrn Univ.-Prof. Dr.H. Nowotny gewidmet.     

Zur chemie des tris(cyclopentadienyl)uran(IV)-kations in wässriger lösung : II. Oligomere metallorganische tetracyanometallat-komplexe des uran(IV): Bis(tris(pentahapto-cyclopentadienyl)uran(IV))-tetracyanonickolat(II) bzw. -platinat(II)

Novel organometallic uranium(IV) complexes of the composition [(η⁵-Cp)₃U^IV]₂[Mn^II(CN)₄] Cp = C₅H₅, M = Ni or Pt) have been prepared from Cp₃UCl and K₂[M(CN)₄] in aqueous solution. On the basis of their properties they are characterized as layered oligomeric structures involving squared arrays of both the U and M atoms within the same plane, and a presumably trigonal bipyramidal coordination of the uranium(IV) ion.