Extraction chromatographic separation of trivalent minor actinides using Hex-BTP/SiO-P resin

Surugaya, Naoki ; Sano, Yuichi   ; Yamamoto, Masahiko   ; Kurosawa, Akira; Hiyama, Toshiaki

Extraction chromatographic separation of the long-lived trivalent minor actinides, Am(III) and Cm(III), has been performed to study the potential application of 2,6-bis(5,6-di-iso-hexyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)-pyridine (Hex-BTP) impregnated into the porous silica support coated with styrene-divinylbenzene (SiO-P). The adsorption and elution characteristics of Am(III) and Cm(III) in nitric acid media have been investigated under some acid conditions to separate them from lanthanides using a column packed with Hex-BTP/SiO-P resins. Depending on the concentration of nitric acid solution as well as aqueous flow rate, a certain condition allowed us to selectively recover the fractions containing Am(III) and Cm(III) in a feed sample solution derived from PUREX raffinate. The proposed separation procedure and extraction profiles will be discussed in this presentation.