skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

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

Journal Article · · Separation Science and Technology
;  [1]
  1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

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, the authors have initiated a program to investigate the complexing ability, thermal/oxidative instability, and separation potential of a group of water soluble organophosphorus compounds which they 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, they summarize their 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.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
145131
Report Number(s):
CONF-911049-; ISSN 0149-6395; TRN: TRN: 93:000018-002
Journal Information:
Separation Science and Technology, Vol. 28, Issue 1-3; Conference: 7. symposium on separation science and technology for energy applications, Knoxville, TN (United States), 20-24 Oct 1991; Other Information: PBD: Jan-Feb 1993
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English