Production of high-purity gadolinium-153. 2. Removal of samarium, terbium, and microamounts of europium from gadolinium by extraction chromatography

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1995 · Radiochemistry

OSTI ID:136349

Mel`nik, M I; Karelin, E A; Filimonov, V T ^[1]

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1. Research Inst. of Atomic Reactors, Dimitrovgrad (Russian Federation)

Extraction and extraction-chromatographic behavior of Sm, Eu, Gd, and Tb in the system di-2-ethylhexyl hydrogen phosphate (DEHP)-decane-nitric acid has been studied at various concentrations of nitric acid and lanthanide in aqueous phase. The optimal range of nitric acid concentrations for extraction-chromatographic separation of samarium, europium, gadolinium, and terbium has been determined. The influence of gadolinium concentration on distribution of europium and terbium has been examined. At gadolinium content in solution below 50% of the dynamic exchange capacity of the column, the gadolinium distribution coefficient slightly decreases with increasing gadolinium concentration in the initial solution, the distribution factors of the impurity lanthanides remaining virtually unchanged. With further increase in gadolinium content in the initial solution, the gadolinium distribution factor drastically decreases, and {open_quotes}tails{close_quotes} are formed at the expense of increasing fraction of the extracted complex form GdA{sub 3}. These data allowed a conclusion that composition of extracted complexes is different for Sm, Eu, Gd, and Tb. Conditions proposed for extraction-chromatographic purification of gadolinium in the system DEHP-decane-nitric acid provide for removal of impurity lanthanides (samarium, terbium, and microamounts of europium) with the purification factors greater than 100 (Sm, Tb) and about 2 (Eu) at the column charge of up to 50%.

• OSTI ID: 136349
• Journal Information: Radiochemistry, Journal Name: Radiochemistry Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 37; ISSN RDIOEO; ISSN 1066-3622
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
EUROPIUM
EXTRACTION CHROMATOGRAPHY
GADOLINIUM 153
ISOTOPE PRODUCTION
NITRIC ACID
REMOVAL
SAMARIUM
TERBIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS