RADIATION STABILITY OF ORGANIC LIQUIDS. Semi-Annual Report No. 2 for July 1 to December 31, 1957
Preliminary studies were completed on the nature and amount of the radiolysis products of dibutyl butanephosphonate, 50% dibutyl butanephosphonate- 50% Amsco 12582 mixture, diamyl pentanephosphonate, 50% diamyl pentanephosphonate- 50% Amsco 125-82 mixture, high level dose TBP, and dibutyl phosphoric acid, Results of analysis indicated that aliphatic phosphonates are superior to aliphatic phosphates, but inferior to aromaticaliphatic phosphonates in resistance to radiolytic degradation. Radiolysis data indicated that the phenyl group of phosphonates inhibited gas production when irradiated alone or in Amsco solution, howevcr the phenyl protective effect did not apply to acid production. Alipbatic phosphonates yielded lower G(acid) values than did phenyl phosphonates, No large differences were observed in nature or yield of radiolysis products from the phosphonates. Comparison of radiolysis data of tributyl phosphate with that of aliphatic phosphonates, however, indicates reductions in G(gas) and G(acid) values of factors of 2 and 15, respectively due to the radiolytic stability of the phosphonate structure. Emulsification studies, comparing irradiated TBP and phosphonates, indicated no marked differences between the systems studied. The interpretation of results was complicated by the prevalence of three-phase phenomena due to the high dose levels employed. Tributyl phosphate, irradiated to 1900 whr/liter levels, was studied from the aspects of methods suitable for removal of radiolysis products, methods suitable for isolation of polymeric species, and identification of polymer constituents, Treatment of 1900 whr/liter TBP, diluted with Amsco 125-82 and virgin TBP, with a mixture of sodium and ammonium hydroxides was found to be more effective than simple caustic strip for restoring irradiated TBP to recycle condition. The effectiveness of the treatment was determined by measuring uranium distribution ratios using both spinner column and separatory funnel studies, Duolite A-2 anion exchange resin was used to remove acidic radiolysis products from 1900 whr/liter TBP prior to isolation of polymeric species by vacuum distillation, A G value of 0.91 for polymer was obtained. Cryoscopic studies with the polymer indicated a gross molecular weight of 840 to 850. G values for gas and polymer of 3.40 and 1.42 were obtained from irradiation of dibutyl phosphoric acid to 1280 whr/liter levels. These values are slightly higher than the corresponding values for tributyl phosphate. The solubility of thorium dibutyl phosphate in Amsco 125-82 was determined to be 0.1 g/liter at 26 C. Diethyl carbonate was evaluated as an extractant for uranium by separatory funnel and spinner column studies. The extraction is highly acid dependent and is sensitive to salt effects. Using 0.2M uranyl nitrate of both 6M and 8M nitric acid strengths as feeds at organic/ aqueous ratios of 1:2, uraniura separation factors of 0.45 and 0.82 were obtained. TBP-Amsco systems yield separation factors pf 5 under 2M nitric acid conditions. (For preceding period see AECCU-4051.) (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Research Inst., Menlo Park, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-011417
- OSTI ID:
- 4276683
- Report Number(s):
- AECU-4052
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMSCO
BUTANE
BUTYL RADICALS
CARBONATES
DECOMPOSITION
DISTILLATION
ETHYL RADICALS
G-VALUE
GASES
HYDROXIDES
ION EXCHANGE
LIQUIDS
MOLECULES
NITRIC ACID
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PENTANE
PHENYL RADICALS
PHOSPHORIC ACID
POLYMERS
PRODUCTION
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS ON MATERIALS
RADIOLYSIS
SALTS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SOLUBILITY
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
STABILITY
THORIUM
URANYL NITRATES
VACUUM
WEIGHT