Extended X-ray absorption fine structure study on gel/liquid extraction of f-block elements

Nakase, Masahiko*; Kobayashi, Toru ; Shiwaku, Hideaki   ; Kawamura, Takuya*; Takeshita, Kenji*; Yamamura, Tomoo*; Yaita, Tsuyoshi

Gel/liquid extraction was investigated to achieve selective separation of trivalent actinides over lanthanides. In this study, thermosensitive hydrogel including N,N,N',N'-tetraallylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxamine (PDA) was synthesized, and its complexation with lanthanide was investigated by extended X-ray absorption fine structure experiments at SPring-8. The radial structure functions (RSF) of solution with gels with and without ligands at different temperatures showed slight differences. As the temperature increased, the RSF decreased owing to the increase in thermal vibration, but PDA-gel showed a shift in the first peak toward the shorter direction. This shift was attributed to the change in stoichiometry of PDA-Ln(III) complexes or coordination number of water molecules affected by the change of conformation of polymer chains and the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties in the hydrogel.