Comparative study on aqueous acid free UO2 dissolution-extraction using DHOA adduct into room temperature ionic liquid/supercritical carbon dioxide/n-hexane

Feasibility was established for direct dissolution-extraction of uranium employing adduct of N,N-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA), thus eliminating discrete aqueous phase and free acid usage. Various aspects of dissolution of solid uranium dioxide and extraction of uranium into molecular diluent viz. n-hexane and neoteric solvents viz. room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) and supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2) were studied. The organic adduct was found to have composition DHOA.(HNO3)0.78(H2O)0.4. Adduct miscibility and UO2 dissolution behavior was markedly different for RTIL and n-hexane. The dissolution process, studied by monitoring UV–Vis spectra, was found to be pseudo first order with a rate constant of of 0.074 min−1 and 0.036 min−1 for n-hexane and RTIL respectively. Irrespective of medium, dissolution-extraction efficiency of ≥90% was achievable. Using RTIL for dissolution-extraction medium and SC CO2 for stripping is promising in terms of overall efficiency as well as RTIL recovery by avoiding aqueous cross contamination.

Direct dissolution of UO2 in carboxyl-functionalized ionic liquids in the presence or absence of Fe-containing ionic liquids

Dissolution of UO₂ is a prerequisite for the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. This study showed that UO₂ could be directly dissolved in a single carboxyl-functionalized ionic liquid (IL), [HOOCMmim][Tf₂N] 1-carboxymethyl-3-methylimidazolium bistriflimide, or [HOOCEtmim][Tf₂N] 1-carboxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium bistriflimide. The addition of an extra Fe-containing IL, [Emim][FeCl₄] (Emim, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium) or [Bmim][FeCl₄] (Bmim, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) could significantly improve the dissolution kinetics. Results demonstrated that the dissolution process in the early stage could be described by using the pseudo first-order rate law. The apparent activation energy for UO₂ dissolution in the mixture of the Fe-containing IL and carboxyl-functionalized IL was calculated to be ∼67 kJ mol^-1, implying that the reaction was mainly controlled by a chemical process. Nevertheless, the influence of the diffusion process is non-negligible since the IL has a relatively high viscosity that can retard the diffusion of the formed uranyl species from the UO₂ surface. Spectroscopic studies and density functional theory calculations indicated that the uranyl ion coordinated with carboxylate groups is the predominant product for UO₂ dissolution in the single carboxyl-functionalized IL, while uranyl chloride complexes would also form in the mixed ILs. The dissolved uranyl species can be successfully recovered from the ILs by extraction. The success of UO₂ dissolution in the carboxyl-functionalized IL with or without the Fe-containing IL indicates that the Fe-containing IL and oxygen can serve as an effective catalyst and oxidant for the dissolution of UO₂, respectively.

Ionic liquids with polychloride anions as effective oxidants for the dissolution of UO2

Polychloride ionic liquids can not only successfully dissolve UO₂, but also raise the chlorine efficiency.

Significant enhanced uranyl ions extraction efficiency with phosphoramidate-functionalized ionic liquids via synergistic effect of coordination and hydrogen bond

The influence of the linking group between the phosphoryl and bridging moieties in phosphoryl-containing task-specific ionic liquids (TSILs) on the extraction of uranyl ions was experimentally and theoretically investigated. A novel phosphoramidate-based TSIL with an amine group as the linking moiety resulted in a higher uranyl ion extraction efficiency compared with that of other phosphoryl-based TSILs. A distribution ratio of 4999 ± 51 can be achieved for uranyl ions. The uranyl ions (76.7 ± 1.5%) were stripped from the loaded ionic liquid phase in a single stage using 0.05 M diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid in a 1.0 M guanidine carbonate solution. The extraction stoichiometry of the uranyl ions was determined by a slope analysis of the extraction data. Furthermore, the fundamental nature of the interaction between the phosphoramidate-based TSIL and uranyl ions was theoretically studied for the first time. The theoretical calculations demonstrated that the synergistic effect of the complexation interaction and H-bond formation between the phosphoramidate-functional ionic liquid and uranyl nitrate led to the higher extraction efficiency. These results provide a basis for rational design, synthesis and potential applications of novel TSILs for uranyl extraction.

Actinide ion extraction using room temperature ionic liquids: opportunities and challenges for nuclear fuel cycle applications

Studies on the extraction of actinide ions from radioactive wastes have great relevance in nuclear fuel cycle activities, mainly in the back end processes focused on reprocessing and waste management.

Solvent extraction of Th(IV) from aqueous solution with methylimidazole in ionic liquid

An extraction of Th(IV) was performed using 1- methylimidazole (1-MIM) or 2-methylimidazole (2-MIM) as the extractant in imidazolium type ionic liquids (ILs) or n-pentanol. The extractability for Th4+ in ILs was by far higher than that obtained in n-pentanol. The extraction mechanism was determined by slope analysis and ESI-MS. The transfer of Th4+ with MIM into ILs proceeded through both a cationic exchange and a neutral solvation mechanism, whereas the partitioning of Th4+ with MIM into n-pentanol only underwent a neutral solvation mechanism. The thermodynamic parameters values (ΔH, ΔS and ΔG) for extraction of Th4+ with 1-MIM in IL were calculated and the results indicated the extraction reaction was spontaneous and went through endothermic process. Separation of Th4+ from the solution of lanthanides (III) and uranium was also carried out by 1-MIM in ILs and n-pentanol.

Supercritical fluid extraction and separation of uranium from other actinides

The feasibility of separating U from nitric acid solutions of mixed actinides using tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP)-modified supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) was investigated. The actinides U, Np, Pu, and Am were extracted into sc-CO2 modified with TBP from a range of nitric acid concentrations, in the absence of, or in the presence of, a number of traditional reducing and/or complexing agents to demonstrate the separation of these metals from U under sc-CO2 conditions. The separation of U from Pu using sc-CO2 was successful at nitric acid concentrations of less than 3M in the presence of acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) or oxalic acid (OA) to mitigate Pu extraction, and the separation of U from Np was successful at nitric acid concentrations of less than 1M in the presence of AHA, OA, or sodium nitrite to mitigate Np extraction. Americium was not well extracted under any condition studied.