Study on the mechanism of radiolytic degradation of an extractant for minor actinides separation

Toigawa, Tomohiro   ; Kumagai, Yuta   ; Yamashita, Shinichi*; Ban, Yasutoshi  ; Matsumura, Tatsuro  

This report summarizes the results obtained in FY2020 at the Electron Linac Facility of the University of Tokyo. The radiolysis process of -hexaoctyl nitrilotriacetamide (HONTA), which is expected to be used as an extractant in a separation process for minor actinides, diluted in dodecane was investigated by pulse radiolysis experiments. The radical cation and the triplet-excited state of HONTA were observed in the nanosecond time region. The transition from the radical cation to the triplet excited state was slowed down by adding electron scavengers, and further, the reactivity of the triplet excited state was also suppressed.