Novel Fission-Product Separation based on Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids

Technical Report · Fri Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/839388· OSTI ID:839388

Rogers, Robin D

U.S. DOE's underground storage tanks at Hanford, SRS, and INEEL contain liquid wastes with high concentrations of radioactive cesium-137 and strontium-90. Because the primary chemical components of alkaline supernatants are sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, the majority of this could be disposed of as low level waste if radioactive cesium-137 and strontium- 90 could be selectively removed. The underlying goal of this project was to investigate the application of ionic liquids as novel solvents for new solvent extraction processes for separation of cesium-137 and strontium-90 from tank wastes. Ionic liquids are a distinct sub-set of liquids, comprising only of cations and anions they are proving to be increasingly interesting fluids for application in systems from electrochemistry to energetic materials, and are also rapidly establishing their promise as viable media for synthesis and separations operations. Properties including low melting points, electrochemical conductivity, wide liquid ranges, lack of vapor-pressure, and chemical tunability have encouraged researchers to explore the uses of ILs in place of volatile organic solvents. The most promising current developments arise from control of the unique combinations of chemical and physical properties characteristic of ionic liquids.

• Research Organization: The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) (US)
• DOE Contract Number: FG07-01ER63296
• OSTI ID: 839388
• Report Number(s): EMSP-81929; R&D Project: EMSP 81929; TRN: US200509%%632
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 31 Dec 2004
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANIONS
CATIONS
CESIUM 137
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
LIQUID WASTES
MELTING POINTS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SODIUM NITRATES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
STRONTIUM
STRONTIUM 90
SYNTHESIS
TANKS
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
VAPOR PRESSURE
WASTES