Separation of components of the solution modeling PUREX raffinate via extraction by crown ethers to 1,1,7-trihydrododecafluoroheptanol

We study the extraction of strontium, cesium, and some other elements by dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6) and its di-tert-butyl derivative (DTBDCH18C6) in the system 1,1,7-trihydrododecafluoroheptanol-water from the solution modeling PUREX raffinate. We show that strontium under these conditions is extracted in a single contact with distribution ratios of 100–200 and separates from sodium, whose distribution ratio is less than 0.01. Strontium extraction in a single contact reaches 99.5%. The stoichiometry and stability constants are determined for nitric acid complexes of the crown ethers studied with coextraction of nitric acid (1: 1). The mutual solubilities of the components in the system 1,1,7-trihydrododecafluoroheptanol-water are calculated using chromatography/mass spectrometry: water in alcohol is 0.5 wt %, and alcohol in water is 0.16 wt %.