Diamylamylphosphonate solvent extraction of Am(VI) from nuclear fuel raffinate simulant solution
The separation of hexavalent americium from the lanthanides in simulated PUREX raffinate solution using 1 M diamylamylphosphonate in dodecane extraction was investigated. Hexavalent americium was prepared using room-temperature sodium bismuthate oxidation. Under these conditions the majority of the lanthanides were not oxidized and remained inextractable. A separation factor of approximately 50 was provided for americium from europium over the nitric acid concentration range 6–7 M. Cerium was the exception with oxidation to CeIV resulting in its co-extraction with AmVI. However, since americium is readily reduced to AmIII it was easily stripped with a dilute acidic solution of hydrogen peroxide. Although hydrogen peroxide also reduces cerium, it does so slowly, and a selective americium strip was achieved, with a separation factor of between 15–25. Alternatively, since americium spontaneously reduced in the loaded organic phase, samples allowed to stand for 2 hours could be selectively stripped of americium by contact with 1 M HNO3 containing no additional reagents. The implications for use in fuel cycle separations are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1055349
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-11-23693
- Journal Information:
- Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, Vol. 30, Issue 5; ISSN 0736--6299
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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