Development of uranium recovery technique from uranium contaminated materials by using ionic liquids, 1; Solubility of uranium contaminated materials in ionic liquids

Ohashi, Yusuke 

We propose ways to use ionic liquid as reaction media in order to separate uranium and to recover uranium from contaminated materials that is generated from nuclear fuel institutions. By using BMICl and eutectic mixtures of choline chloride-urea we did decontamination tests of waste NaF adsorption materials and metal wastes. We confirmed the solubility of uranium included in NaF into ionic liquids. The decontamination effect of ionic liquids to metal wastes were also confirmed. As a result it was confirmed that 86% of uranium included in NaF is soluble in BMICl after 3 hours soaking. 64% of uranium included in NaF was soluble in eutectic mixtures of choline chloride-urea under the same condition. On the other hand, after we have soaked contaminated metal materials into BMICl for 3 hours, the density of surface radioactivity became lower than 1/10 of levels at which we can bring it out from restricted areas.