Separation of trivalent actinides from lanthanides by solvent extraction

A method is presented for separating the trivalent actinides, mainly Am and Cm, from trivalent lanthanides by the use of only two solvent extractants. The first solvent removes the heavy lanthanides, leaving the Am, Cm and the lighterlanthanides; the second removes the Am and Cm. Because additional complexing agents are not required, waste-disposal and corrosion problems are reduced. Overall separation factors may be as high as several thousand for the separation of Am and Cm from lanthanides in the fission waste products from reactor fuel processing.     

Differentiating between trivalent lanthanides and actinides

The reactions of LnCl(3) with molten boric acid result in the formation of Ln[B(4)O(6)(OH)(2)Cl] (Ln = La-Nd), Ln(4)[B(18)O(25)(OH)(13)Cl(3)] (Ln = Sm, Eu), or Ln[B(6)O(9)(OH)(3)] (Ln = Y, Eu-Lu). The reactions of AnCl(3) (An = Pu, Am, Cm) with molten boric acid under the same conditions yield Pu[B(4)O(6)(OH)(2)Cl] and Pu(2)[B(13)O(19)(OH)(5)Cl(2)(H(2)O)(3)], Am[B(9)O(13)(OH)(4)]·H(2)O, or Cm(2)[B(14)O(20)(OH)(7)(H(2)O)(2)Cl]. These compounds possess three-dimensional network structures where rare earth borate layers are joined together by BO(3) and/or BO(4) groups. There is a shift from 10-coordinate Ln(3+) and An(3+) cations with capped triangular cupola geometries for the early members of both series to 9-coordinate hula-hoop geometries for the later elements. Cm(3+) is anomalous in that it contains both 9- and 10-coordinate metal ions. Despite these materials being synthesized under identical conditions, the two series do not parallel one another. Electronic structure calculations with multireference, CASSCF, and density functional theory (DFT) methods reveal the An 5f orbitals to be localized and predominately uninvolved in bonding. For the Pu(III) borates, a Pu 6p orbital is observed with delocalized electron density on basal oxygen atoms contrasting the Am(III) and Cm(III) borates, where a basal O 2p orbital delocalizes to the An 6d orbital. The electronic structure of the Ce(III) borate is similar to the Pu(III) complexes in that the Ce 4f orbital is localized and noninteracting, but the Ce 5p orbital shows no interaction with the coordinating ligands. Natural bond orbital and natural population analyses at the DFT level illustrate distinctive larger Pu 5f atomic occupancy relative to Am and Cm 5f, as well as unique involvement and occupancy of the An 6d orbitals.     

The extraction of trivalent actinides and lanthanides by a novel unsymmetrical diglycolamide

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - N,N′-dioctyl-N,N′-di-dodecyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide ((DdO)2DGA) is a novel unsymmetrical diglycolamide. Herein, we analyzed the...     

On the mechanism of extraction of trivalent actinides and lanthanides with alkylamine hydrochlorides

The method to study the mechanism of actinides (III) and lanthanides (III) liquid-liquid amine extraction from chloride media has been suggested. The technique is based on the determination of distribution coefficients for extraction of these elements from mixed salting-out agent solutions with common anion. Distribution coefficients were found to be independent of mean ion activity of lithium cation at constant water activity, when extraction of trace amounts of Eu (III) and Cm(III) by tri-n-octylammonium hydrochloride from mixed LiCl−CaCl₂ solutions occurred. It has been concluded that lithium cation does not enter into the complexed extracted.     

Thermodynamics of thiocyanate complexes of trivalent actinides and lanthanides

The thermodynamic parameters ΔF, ΔH and ΔS of the complexes of Cm(III), C(III) and Tm(III) with the SCN^? ion have been determined at 30°C in ammonium ion medium of unit ionic strength by the temperature variation method. It has been concluded that both the thiocyanate complexes of trivalent actinides and lanthanides are predominantly inner-sphere type. The higher stability of the second complexes of trivalent actinides is reflected either in the enthalpy or the entropy change depending on the degree of hydration of the trivalent actinide ions. The implications of the greater free energy change for PuSCN²⁺ as compared with other trivalent actinide or lanthanide first thiocyanate complexes are discussed.     

Extraction of trivalent lanthanides and actinides by primary amines

Extraction of trivalent lanthanides and actinides by primary amines from nitric acid solution in presence of potassium phosphotungstate (K₁₀P₂W₁₇O₆₁) has been investigated. The effect of nitric acid, potassium phosphotungstate and extractant concentrations, of the organic solvents and the length of primary amine alkyl chain has been studied. Primary amines in chloroform can be used for separtion of lanthanides and actinides and their group isolation.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of trivalent actinides and lanthanides with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4- trifluoroacetyl pyrazolone-5

Extraction of the trivalent actinides Am, Cm and Cf and lanthanides Eu, Tb, Tm and Lu has been studied with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-trifluoroacetyl pyrazolone- 5(HPMTFP) in chloroform and benzene. The formation of a self-adduct species M(PMTFP)₃·HPMTFP has been observed with Am, Cm and Eu but only the chelate species M(PMTFP)₃ with Cf, Tb, Tm and Lu. The reasons for the formation of a self-adduct species with lighter actinides and lanthanides and not with the heavier ones of the pyrazolones have been discussed.     

Mixed-ligand chelate extraction of trivalent lanthanides and actinides with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazolone-5 and dihexyl-N,N-diethylcarbamoylmethyl phosphonate

Mixed-ligand chelate extraction of trivalent lanthanides such as La, Eu and Lu and a trivalent actinide, Am into xylene with mixtures of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazolone-5 (HPMBP) and dihexyl-N,N-diethylcarbamoylmethylphosphonate (CMP) has been studied by tracertechniques. These trivalent metal ions are found to be extracted from 0.01 mol/dm³ chloroacetate buffer solutions as M(PMBP)₃·HPMBP type self adducts with HPMBP alone and in the presence of CMP as M(PMBP)₃·CMP (where M=La, Eu, Lu and Am) into the organic phase. The equilibrium constants of the above species are deduced by non-linear regression analysis. The synergistic constants of trivalent lanthanides do not increase monotonically with atomic number but have a maximum at Eu and that of Am was found to lie between that of La and Eu.     

Extraction of trivalent actinides and lanthanides by tertiary and quaternary amines from concentrated chloride solutions

Extraction of some trivalent actinides and lanthanides from 11.9 M LiCl (pH 2.0) by some primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary amines in xylene has been studied. Negligible extraction of the metal ions was found with primary and secondary amines whereas they are appreciably extracted with tertiary and quaternary amines, the trivalent actinides always being extracted to a greater extent. The separation factors Kd An(III)/Kd Ln(III) for several trivalent actinides with respect to Eu(III) and Tm(III) are found to be much greater when tertiary amines are used as extractants compared to when quaternary amines are used which has been ascribed to the extraction of higher chloro complexes of the metal ions by tertiary amines. Absorption spectra of Am(III) and Nd(III) extracted into the long chain amines from 11.0 M LiCl (pH 2.0) indicate that octahedral hexachloro complexes are present in the tertiary amine extracts whereas lower complexes are predominantly extracted by the quaternary amines leading to the observed lower separation factors for the trivalent actinides with reference to the lanthanides. Possible role of hydrogen bonding in the stabilization of chloro complexes extracted by tertiary amines as well as the extraction of hydrated chloro complexes by the quaternary amines are discussed.     

用于三价锕镧分离的萃取剂的合成与表征

以6,6'-二氰-2,2'-联吡啶为原料,经两步反应,合成了6,6'二(5,6二乙基-1,2,4-三嗪-3-基)-2,2'-联吡啶.第一步改变条件使反应时间由17d缩短到3d,得到的中间体和目标产物经元素分析、IR,1 HNMR和MS等表征确认.此外,对反应机理进行了初步探讨.     

Adsorption behaviors of trivalent actinides and lanthanides on pyridine resin in lithium chloride aqueous solution

The adsorption behaviors of trivalent actinides and lanthanides on pyridine resin in lithium chloride aqueous solution were investigated. The adsorbed amounts of lanthanides and the degree of mutual separation of lanthanides increased with an increase in the concentration of lithium chloride in aqueous solution. The group separation of the trivalent actinides and lanthanides was observed. This separation phenomenon is similar in a hydrochloric acid solution. However, the adsorption behavior of lanthanides in lithium chloride is different from their behavior in a hydrochloric acid solution. This fact shows that the adsorption mechanisms of lanthanides in a lithium chloride aqueous solution and in a hydrochloric acid solution are different; the adsorption mechanisms are attributed to the ion exchange in a hydrochloric acid solution, and to the complex formation with pyridine group in a lithium chloride solution.     

Sequential separation of actinides and lanthanides by extraction chromatography using a CMPO-TBP/XAD7 column

CMPO/TBP sorbed on Amberlite XAD7 resin was used for the separation of actinides and lanthanides from nitric acid solutions by extraction chromatography. The distribution ratios of actinides and lanthanide fission products (Ce, Eu) as a function of acid concentration and some complexing agents were determined. In strong HNO₃ medium (>1 mol/l) the tri-, tetra- and hexavalent actinides as well as the lanthanides have shown great affinity for the CMPO/TBP/XAD7 sorbent. The same behavior was found in HCl medium except for trivalent actinides and lanthanides which show lower distribution values in the same acid range. The effect of some complexing agents as DTPA and ammonium oxalate were also investigated. In DTPA only hexavalent actinides showed higher distribution value. On the basis of these differences, an alternative procedure for actinide-lanthanide separation and actinides from each other is proposed.     

Group separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides by tertiary pyridine-type anion-exchange resin embedded in silica beads

The separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides was studied by using newly developed tertiary pyridine-type anion-exchange resin embedded in silica beads. Chromatographic elution experiments were carried out by using a packed column of the new resin and methanol-hydrochloric acid solution as an effluent. We confirmed that the actinides were eluted well from the elution bands of lanthanides. Actinides and lanthanides were eluted according to the reverse order of their atomic number.     

Quasirelativistic f-in-core pseudopotentials and core-polarization potentials for trivalent actinides and lanthanides: molecular test for trifluorides

Calibration studies of actinide and lanthanide trifluorides are reported for actinide and lanthanide scalar-relativistic energy-consistent f-in-core pseudopotentials, respectively, accompanying valence basis sets as well as core-polarization potentials. Results from Hartree–Fock and coupled-cluster singles, doubles, and perturbative triples f-in-core pseudopotential calculations are compared to corresponding data from f-in-valence pseudopotential and all-electron calculations as well as to experimental data. In general, good agreement is observed between the f-in-core and f-in-valence pseudopotential results, whereas due to the lack of experimental data for the actinides only a good agreement of the calculated and experimentally determined bond lengths of the lanthanide systems can be established. Nevertheless, the results indicate that the core-polarization potentials devised here for actinides improve the f-in-core results.     

Synergistic extraction of hexavalent actinides by HTTA and neutral donors-II

Synergistic extraction studies on Np(VI) and Pu(VI) have been carried out as a part of the programme on the synergistic extraction of hexavalent actinides. Extraction of Np(VI) and Pu(VI) were carried out by mixtures of HTTA and TBP in benzene from aqueous perchlorate and nitrate media. Equilibrium constant values for the various reaction equilibria involved were calculated from the data obtained by using slope-ratio as well as Job’s method. The extraction of Np(VI) by the synergistic mixture from 1M nitric acid indicated that the species NpO₂ (TTA) (NO₃). TBP was not involved in the extraction. The log values of K_A, K_AB and β_AB were −1.5, 2.92 and 4.43, respectively for Np(VI) and −1.63, 2.50 and 4.13 respectively for Pu(VI).     

Improvement in flow-sheet of extraction chromatography for trivalent minor actinides recovery

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Extraction chromatography flow-sheet employing octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbonoylmethylphosphine oxide and bis(2-ethylhexyl) hydrogen phosphate...     

Atomic interaction parameters for lanthanides and actinides

A correlation between the Mie-Lennard-Jones interatomic potential and the position of the element in the Periodic Table is used to correct the parameters for lanthanides and to estimate the parameters of the interatomic potential of promethium (Pm-61) for two structures. From the similarity in the double periodicity for the lanthanides and actinides, the minimum coordinates of the interatomic potential r _o are estimated for the elements from curium (Cm-96) through dubnium (Db-105). From the fact that, for Z _a > 60, r _o decreases with increasing atomic number Z _a for the elements of one column, r _o for roentgenium (Rg-111) is estimated. The corrected parameters of the potential are predicted for the elements from francium (Fr-87) through dubnium (Db-105). From the derived parameters of the interatomic potential, the Debye temperatures and the Grüneisen parameters are calculated for neptunium (Np-93) and americium (Am-95).     

Sulphate complexing of some trivalent actinides

The sulphate complexing of the trivalent actinides Pu(III), Am(III) and Cm(III) in aqueous solutions was studied by the dinonylnaphthalene sulphonic acid extraction method, at ionic strengths of 1 and 2, at 25°C and the respective stability constant values obtained are reported. The extraction of the actinide ions from sulphuric acid into amines indicated the existence of their anionic sulphate complex species.     

Adamantylcalixarenes with CMPO groups at the wide rim: synthesis and extraction of lanthanides and actinides

Starting from p-adamantylcalix[4]- and [6]arenes functionalized with carboxylic acid or ester groups at the adamantane nuclei, carbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO)-containing ligands of a novel type were synthesized. They were studied as extractants for a series of f-block elements including radioactive ¹⁵²Eu(III), ²⁴¹Am(III), ²³³U(VI), and ²³⁹Pu(IV). Tetrameric ligand 4b in which CMPO residues are connected to adamantane nuclei through methylene groups gave the best extraction results for lanthanides and actinides. For all the ligands the extraction efficiency does not decrease at higher nitric acid concentration. Although the discrimination between trivalent actinides and lanthanides is not good, all ligands are highly selective for thorium(IV) with the best separation factor achieved in the case of hexameric ligand 5 (D_Th/D_Ln>24).     

Selective separation of minor actinides and lanthanides using aromatic dithiophosphinic and phosphinic acid derivatives

A new extractant for the separation of actinide(III) and lanthanide(III) cations, bis(o-trifluoromethylphenyl) phosphinic acid (2) was synthesized. The synthetic route employed mirrors one that was employed to produce the sulfur containing analog bis(o-trifluoromethylphenyl) dithiophosphinic acid (1). Classic radiochemical methods and absorbance spectroscopy were used to study the coordination chemistry of the Am-dithiophosphinic acid and Am-phosphinic acid complexes.