DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Early-stage oxidation and subsequent damage of the used nuclear fuel extractant TODGA; electron pulse radiolysis and theoretical insights

Journal Article · · Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d4cp03678f · OSTI ID:2477951

Radiation induced damage of extractant molecules is a well-known phenomenon responsible for reducing efficiency and increasing the waste and cost of reprocessing used nuclear fuel (UNF). As such, understanding early-stage (pico- to nanoseconds) radiation-induced reaction mechanisms is essential for informing the design of next generation extractants with enhanced radiation robustness. Here, in this work, we utilized picosecond and nanosecond electron pulse radiolysis experiments to probe the early-stage radioactive environment experienced by the organic phase extractant N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyldiglycolamide (TODGA), proposed for separating highly radioactive trivalent minor actinides (specifically americium and curium) from the trivalent lanthanides. Using comparisons to the similar ionization potential (IP) solute p-xylene, this work determined the mechanism of reaction with the ionized diluent (i.e., n-dodecane radical cation, DD˙+) is hole transfer to produce TODGA˙+. At high TODGA concentrations (>100 mM), the majority of this transfer occurs faster than 10 ps via the capture of DD˙+ holes prior to their solvation with a C37 = 300 mM. The surviving solvated holes were captured with k = (2.38 ± 0.15) × 1010 M-1 s-1. Attempts at subsequent hole transfer to lower IP solutes found that only 10% of holes were transferred, indicating bond rupture of TODGA˙+ occurs within 2.6 ns at 200 mM TODGA. Possible reaction pathways for the rapid decomposition of TODGA˙+ were explored using a combination of experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division (CSGB)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704
OSTI ID:
2477951
Report Number(s):
BNL--226343-2024-JAAM
Journal Information:
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP, Journal Name: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP Journal Issue: 46 Vol. 26; ISSN 1463-9076
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (72)

Pulsradiolyse organischer Halogenverbindungen I. Nachweis kurzlebiger Charge‐Transfer Komplexe mit Chloratomen journal October 1968
Spectral properties and kinetics of cationic transients generated in electron-pulse irradiated liquid alkanes journal October 1986
The role of organic solvent radical cations in separations ligand degradation journal November 2015
The effect of aliphatic alcohol additives on the radiolytic degradation of TODGA in Isopar-M journal September 2020
Radiolytic behaviour of a TODGA based solvent under alpha irradiation journal October 2020
Contribution of nitric acid and alcohol to the radiolytic degradation of TODGA in Isopar-M journal May 2021
Effect of radiolysis of TODGA on the extraction of TODGA/n-dodecane toward Eu(III): an experimental and DFT study journal April 2023
The radiolysis of aqueous solutions of methylene chloride journal May 1972
Picosecond pulse radiolysis—VI. Fast electron reactions in concentrated solutions of scavengers in water and alcohols journal April 1975
Early events following radiolytic and photogeneration of radical cations in hydrocarbons journal January 1993
Distribution of plutonium, americium and interfering fission products between nitric acid and a mixed organic phase of TODGA and DMDOHEMA in kerosene, and implications for the design of the “EURO-GANEX” process journal February 2015
Development and demonstration of innovative partitioning processes (i-SANEX and 1-cycle SANEX) for actinide partitioning journal April 2014
Understanding the complexation of the Eu3+ ion with TODGA, CMPO, TOPO and DMDBTDMA: Extraction, luminescence and theoretical investigation journal October 2016
Radiolytic Stability of TODGA: Characterization of Degraded Samples under Different Experimental Conditions journal January 2012
The Chemistry of Separations Ligand Degradation by Organic Radical Cations journal January 2016
Increased yields of radical cations by arene addition to irradiated 1,2-dichloroethane journal April 2005
Influence of diluent on radiolysis of amides in organic solution journal May 2007
Sub-picosecond Production of Solute Radical Cations in Tetrahydrofuran after Radiolysis journal November 2021
Quantifying Dimer and Trimer Formation of Tri-n-butyl Phosphates in Different Alkane Diluents: FTIR Study journal July 2016
Picosecond Pulse Radiolysis Study on the Radiation-Induced Reactions in Neat Tributyl Phosphate journal June 2018
Proton Transfer from Alkane Radical Cations to Alkane Molecules:  Selectivity with Respect to the Site of Proton Donation and Proton Acceptance journal May 2002
Quantum Mechanical Continuum Solvation Models journal August 2005
Actinide Lanthanide Separation Process—ALSEP journal January 2014
Thermal chlorine-38 atom reactions with ethylene journal June 1977
Picosecond pulse radiolysis. V. Yield of electrons in irradiated aqueous solution with high concentrations of scavenger journal January 1975
Cation radical salts of N-methylphenothiazine and its analogs. Synthesis and characterization journal August 1974
Efficiencies of photoinduced electron-transfer reactions: role of the Marcus inverted region in return electron transfer within geminate radical-ion pairs journal May 1990
Aqueous Solvation Free Energies of Ions and Ion−Water Clusters Based on an Accurate Value for the Absolute Aqueous Solvation Free Energy of the Proton journal August 2006
Single-Ion Solvation Free Energies and the Normal Hydrogen Electrode Potential in Methanol, Acetonitrile, and Dimethyl Sulfoxide journal January 2007
Sudden, “Step” Electron Capture by Conjugated Polymers journal October 2011
Rapid “Step Capture” of Holes in Chloroform during Pulse Radiolysis journal July 2013
Transient Charge-transfer Complexes with Chlorine Atoms by Pulse Radiolysis of Carbon Tetrachloride Solutions journal June 1967
The calculations of excited-state properties with Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory journal January 2013
Dye chemistry with time-dependent density functional theory journal January 2014
Gamma-radiolytic stability of new methylated TODGA derivatives for minor actinide recycling journal January 2015
Ultra-fast charge migration competes with proton transfer in the early chemistry of H 2+ journal January 2017
Behaviour of the extractant Me-TODGA upon gamma irradiation: quantification of degradation compounds and individual influences on complexation and extraction journal January 2017
Gamma radiolysis of hydrophilic diglycolamide ligands in concentrated aqueous nitrate solution journal January 2019
Pushing the limits of the electrochemical window with pulse radiolysis in chloroform journal January 2020
Does addition of 1-octanol as a phase modifier provide radical scavenging radioprotection for N , N , N ′, N ′-tetraoctyldiglycolamide (TODGA)? journal January 2020
Radiation-induced effects on the extraction properties of hexa- n -octylnitrilo-triacetamide (HONTA) complexes of americium and europium journal January 2021
The mystery of sub-picosecond charge transfer following irradiation of hydrated uridine monophosphate journal January 2021
Effect of metal complexation on diglycolamide radiolysis: a comparison between ex situ gamma and in situ alpha irradiation journal January 2022
An experimental and computational look at the radiolytic degradation of TODGA and the effect on metal complexation journal January 2021
Impact of lanthanide ion complexation and temperature on the chemical reactivity of N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) with the dodecane radical cation journal January 2023
Radiolytic stability and effects on metal extraction of N,N,N′-trioctyldiglycolamide, an important TODGA degradation product journal January 2024
Correction: Impact of lanthanide ion complexation and temperature on the chemical reactivity of N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) with the dodecane radical cation journal January 2024
Free radical studies by resonance Raman spectroscopy: phenothiazine, 10-methylphenothiazine, and phenoxazine radical cations journal January 1981
Stability studies of GANEX system under different irradiation conditions journal January 2019
The LEAF picosecond pulse radiolysis facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory journal November 2004
Optical fiber-based single-shot picosecond transient absorption spectroscopy journal July 2009
Self‐consistent molecular orbital methods. XXIII. A polarization‐type basis set for second‐row elements journal October 1982
Density‐functional thermochemistry. III. The role of exact exchange journal April 1993
Study of interaction of aliphatic alcohols with primary radical cations ofn-alkanes using MARY spectroscopy journal June 2003
Plutonium Loading of Prospective Grouped Actinide Extraction (GANEX) Solvent Systems based on Diglycolamide Extractants journal March 2012
Radiolytic Stability of N,N,N,N ′-Tetraoctyl Diglycolamide (TODGA) in the Presence of Phase Modifiers Dissolved in n -Dodecane journal May 2012
Novel Extractant, NTAamide, and its Combination with TEDGA for Mutual Separation of Am/Cm/Ln journal January 2014
Laboratory-Scale Counter-Current Centrifugal Contactor Demonstration of an Innovative-SANEX Process Using a Water Soluble BTP journal October 2014
A Comparison of the γ -Radiolysis of TODGA and T(EH)DGA Using UHPLC-ESI-MS Analysis journal March 2015
A Study of the γ-Radiolysis of N,N -Didodecyl- N′,N′ -Dioctyldiglycolamide Using UHPLC-ESI-MS Analysis journal June 2016
Radiolytic and hydrolytic degradation of the hydrophilic diglycolamides journal June 2018
Dimerization of 2-Ethylhexylphosphonic Acid Mono-2-ethylhexyl Ester (HEH[EHP]) as Determined by NMR Spectrometry journal September 2020
THE NOVEL EXTRACTANTS, DIGLYCOLAMIDES, FOR THE EXTRACTION OF LANTHANIDES AND ACTINIDES IN HNO 3n -DODECANE SYSTEM journal January 2001
MODIFICATION OF TODGA- n -DODECANE SOLVENT WITH A MONOAMIDE FOR HIGH LOADING OF LANTHANIDES(III) AND ACTINIDES(III) journal January 2002
Development of the Colle-Salvetti correlation-energy formula into a functional of the electron density journal January 1988
Charge Transfer and Electron Capture in the Radiolysis of Aliphatic Hydrocarbons journal May 1965
Studies on hydrolysis and radiolysis of N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide journal January 2002
Extraction of actinides using N, N, N′, N′-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA): a thermodynamic study journal January 2006
Hydration and Dimerization of Tributyl Phosphate in Dodecane. journal January 1994
Radiation-Induced Conductivity and Ion Yields in Neopentane at High Electric Fields journal April 1970
Radiolysis of Aqueous Solutions of Difluorochloromethane journal August 1976
Structure Effect in Alkane Radiolysis journal September 1982