Thermally unstable complexants: Stability of lanthanide/actinide complexes, thermal instability of the ligands, and applications in actinide separations

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6179072

Nash, K L; Rickert, P G

Water soluble complexing agents are commonly used in separations to enhance the selectivity of both ion exchange and solvent extraction processes. Applications of this type in the treatment of nuclear wastes using conventional complexing agents have found mixed success due to the nature of the complexants. In addition, the residual solutions containing these species have led to potentially serious complications in waste storage. To overcome some of the limitations of carboxylic acid and aminopolycarboxylate ligands, we have initiated a program to investigate the complexing ability, thermal/oxidative instability, and separation potential of a group of water soluble organophosphorus compounds which we call Thermally Unstable Complexants, or simply TUCS. Complexants of this type appear to be superior to conventional analogues in a number of respects. In this report, we will summarize our research to date on the actinide/lanthanide complexes with a series of substituted methanediphosphonic acids, the kinetics of their oxidative decomposition, and a few applications which have been developed for their use. 17 refs., 5 figs., 3 tab.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6179072
• Report Number(s): ANL/CP-72834; CONF-911049-4; ON: DE92004701
• Resource Relation: Conference: 7. symposium on separation science and technology for energy applications, Knoxville, TN (United States), 20-24 Oct 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
PHOSPHONIC ACIDS
COMPLEXOMETRY
ACTINIDE COMPLEXES
LIGANDS
PH VALUE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RARE EARTH COMPLEXES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
COMPLEXES
MANAGEMENT
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
052001* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing
400105 - Separation Procedures