New water soluble phosphonate and polycarboxylate complexants for enhanced f element separations

Conference · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

OSTI ID:10175352

Nash, K L; Rickert, P G; Lessmann, E P; Mendoza, M D; Feil, J F; Sullivan, J C

While lipophilic extractant molecules and ion exchange polymeric materials are clearly essential to efficient separation of metal ions by solvent extraction or ion exchange, the most difficult separations often could not be accomplished without the use of water soluble complexants. This report focuses on recent developments in design, synthesis and characterization of phosphonic acid and polycarboxylic acid ligands for enhanced f element separations. Emphasis is on the basic solution chemistry and crystal structures of complexes of the f elements with selected amino-derivatives of methanediphosphonic acid and with tetrahydrofuran-2,3,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid. The former series of compounds exhibit high affinity for lanthanides and actinides in acidic solutions. The latter ligand exhibits an unusual (and very useful) ``anti-selectivity`` for uranyl ion in a solvent extraction process, which permits efficient separation of uranyl from more radioactive components of nuclear wastes. Most of the observed effects can be explained through examination of the structure of the ligand, and comparison of the spectroscopic and thermodynamic parameters for complexation of various metal ions.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10175352
• Report Number(s): ANL/CHM/CP--83879; CONF-940301--40; ON: DE94017082
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052001
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400105
ACTINIDES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHELATING AGENTS
LIGANDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PHOSPHONIC ACIDS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RARE EARTHS
SEPARATION PROCEDURES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
TETRAHYDROFURAN
WASTE PROCESSING