Extraction properties of trivalent rare earth ions from nitric acid using a triamide-amine extractant

Uchino, Seiko*; Narita, Hirokazu*; Kita, Keisuke*; Suzuki, Hideya*; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Naganawa, Hirochika*; Sakaguchi, Koichi*; Oto, Keisuke*

Solvent Extraction Research and Development, Japan, 30(1), p.39 - 46, 2023/00

https://doi.org/10.15261/serdj.30.39

The extraction of trivalent rare earth ions (RE) from HNO solution using a triamide amine, tris(N,N-di-2-ethylhexyl-ethylamide)amine (DEHTAA), was conducted, and the extraction mechanism was estimated from extraction behavior of HNO and RE and the relationship between atomic number and extraction percentages (E%) for RE. A DEHTAA molecule dominantly formed a DEHTAA HNO at 1.0 M HNO and a DEHTAA(HNO) at 6.0 M HNO in the acid-equilibrated organic phase. This would provide the unique dependence of E% for the light RE on the HNO concentration, in which the E% value had a minimum and maximum at 0.5 M and 2 M HNO, respectively. The results of the slope analyses for the distribution ratios for RE suggested that the dominant RE complex was RE(NO)DEHTAA(DEHTAA HNO) at 1.0 M HNO. The E% for RE decreased from La to Lu at 1.0 M HNO; on the other hand, those increased from La to Nd at 0.25 M and from La to Sm and 6.0 M HNO.

Radiation-induced effects on the extraction properties of hexa--octylnitrilo-triacetamide (HONTA) complexes of americium and europium

Toigawa, Tomohiro; Peterman, D. R.*; Meeker, D. S.*; Grimes, T. S.*; Zalupski, P. R.*; Mezyk, S. P.*; Cook, A. R.*; Yamashita, Shinichi*; Kumagai, Yuta; Matsumura, Tatsuro; et al.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 23(2), p.1343 - 1351, 2021/01

https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CP05720G

The candidate An(III)/Ln(III) separation ligand hexa--octylnitrilo-triacetamide (HONTA) was irradiated under envisioned SELECT (Solvent Extraction from Liquid waste using Extractants of CHON-type for Transmutation) process conditions using a solvent test loop in conjunction with cobalt-60 gamma irradiation. We demonstrate that HONTA undergoes exponential decay with increasing gamma dose to produce a range of degradation products which have been identified and quantified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS techniques. The combination of HONTA destruction and degradation product ingrowth, particularly dioctylamine, negatively impacts the extraction and back-extraction of both americium and europium ions. The loss of HONTA was attributed to its reaction with the solvent (-dodecane) radical cation of (HONTA + R) = (7.61 0.82) 10 M s obtained by pulse radiolysis techniques. However, when this ligand is bound to either americium or europium ions, the observed -dodecane radical cation kinetics increase by over an order of magnitude. This large reactivity increase to additional reaction pathways occurring upon metal-ion binding. Lastly nanosecond time-resolved measurements showed that both direct and indirect HONTA radiolysis yielded the short-lived (100 ns) HONTA radical cation as well as a longer-lived (s) HONTA triplet excited state. These HONTA species are important precursors to the suite of HONTA degradation products observed.

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

Toigawa, Tomohiro; Murayama, Rin*; Kumagai, Yuta; Yamashita, Shinichi*; Suzuki, Hideya; Ban, Yasutoshi; Matsumura, Tatsuro

UTNL-R-0501, p.24 - 25, 2020/12

This report summarizes the results obtained in FY2019 at Electron Linac Facility of University of Tokyo. The radiolysis process of a diglycolamide extractant, which is expected to be used in the separation process of minor actinides (MA), in dodecane and octanol solutions was investigated by pulse radiolysis. As a result, it was suggested that by adding alcohol, the decomposition process of the diglycolamide extractant was different from the decomposition processes in the single solvent of dodecane considered that the decomposition occurred via a radical cation species of the extractant.

Production of the minor actinide sources using the electrodeposition method

Nakamura, Satoshi; Kimura, Takahiro; Ban, Yasutoshi; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

JAEA-Technology 2020-009, 22 Pages, 2020/08

JAEA-Technology-2020-009.pdf:2.92MB

Partitioning and transmutation technology division is planning to measure fission rate ratios that contribute to validate nuclear data of minor actinides (MA). For this purpose, MA sources for fission chambers were prepared using electrodeposition method. The radioactivity of each MA source was quantified, and its uncertainty was evaluated. Seven types of MA sources with different radioactivity were prepared using four nuclides of Np, Am, Am, and Cm. A Cm source solution of which radioactivity was quantified by isotope dilution method was used to prepare working standard sources of Cm. The radioactivities were quantified as 1461 Bq, 2179 Bq, and 2938 Bq for Np sources, 1.428 MBq for Am source, 370.5 kBq and 89.57 kBq for Am sources, and 2.327 MBq for Cm source with, the uncertainty of 0.35% (1). This report summarizes the method for preparation and quantification of MA sources, and uncertainty evaluation.

Sorption properties of aluminum hexacyanoferrate for platinum group elements

Mishima, Ria; Inaba, Yusuke*; Tachioka, Sotaro*; Harigai, Miki*; Watanabe, Shinta*; Onoe, Jun*; Nakase, Masahiko*; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Takeshita, Kenji*

Chemistry Letters, 49(1), p.83 - 86, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.1246/cl.190741

Separation of platinum group metals (PGMs) from high-level liquid waste generated from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels is important to produce good quality vitrified glass for final disposal. A new sorbent, Aluminum hexacyanoferrate (AlHCF), was synthesized and the general sorption behavior of PGMs from concentrated nitric acid was examined. Nitric acid caused substantial elution of AlHCF but the sorption of Pd stabilized the structure. Consequently, Rh was sorbed in the presence of Pd, whereas single Rh sorption caused complete dissolution of AlHCF. Relation between sorbed mount of Pd vs eluted Al and Fe revealed that the elution ratio of Al and Fe was not the same as molar ratio of synthesized AlHCF, indicating the re-sorption of Fe resulted in formation of new structure. The sorption mechanism of PGMs by this new sorbent, AlHCF, not only the simple ion exchange, but also oxidation reduction reaction as well as kinetics play important rule. Understanding the general sorption and dissolution behavior will help improve the sorption performance of PGMs by AlHCF.

No secondary waste recycle technology for rare metals using the hydrophilic extraction with phase transfer phenomena

Tsukahara, Takehiko*; Saga, Kaname*; Suzuki, Hideya*; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Kurin Tekunoroji, 29(12), p.4 - 7, 2019/12

no abstracts in English

Zr separation from high-level liquid waste with a novel hydroxyacetoamide type extractant

Morita, Keisuke; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Takahashi, Yuya*; Omori, Takashi*; Kaneko, Masaaki*; Asano, Kazuhito*

Proceedings of International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Conference / Light Water Reactor Fuel Performance Conference (Global/Top Fuel 2019) (USB Flash Drive), p.464 - 468, 2019/09

High level liquid waste (HLLW) contains several radionuclides with half-lives longer than 10 year. For reduce environmental burden of waste disposal, minor actinoids and long-lived fission products will to be partitioned and transmuted. JAEA and Toshiba developed process for recovering Se, Zr, Pd and Cs from HLLW. Solvent extraction for Zr with novel extractant, -didodecyl-2-hydroxyacetoamide (HAA) was detailed. The HAA system showed high selectivity for Zr, as indicated by the extraction order of Zr Mo Pd Ag Sb Sn Lns Fe. The extracted species was determined as Zr(HAA)(NO)(HNO). A continuous countercurrent extraction with HAA was applied to a simulated, concentrated HLLW after Pd, Se, and Cs removal, where the quantitative extraction of Zr and Mo was effectively demonstrated.

Theoretical elucidation of Am(III)/Cm(III) separation mechanism with diamide-type ligands using relativistic density functional theory calculation

Kaneko, Masashi; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Inorganic Chemistry, 57(23), p.14513 - 14523, 2018/12

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b01624

We elucidated the separation mechanism between Am(III) and Cm(III) ions by using two different types of diamide ligands, diglycolamide (DGA) and alkylated diamide amine (ADAAM), by means of the density functional theory technique and electron density analysis. The molecular geometries and formation reactions of the metal-ligand complexes were modeled by using [M(DGA)] and [M(ADAAM)(NO)(HO)]. We successfully reproduced Cm(III) selectivity over Am(III) with DGA and Am(III) selectivity over Cm(III) with ADAAM. Furthermore, we analyzed the bonding properties between the metal ion and the diamide-type ligands by using model complexes, [M(DGA)] and [M(ADAAM)(NO)(HO)], and revealed the differences in terms of the bond dissociation energy and the metal 5f-orbital participation in the covalency between the Am(III) and the Cm(III) complexes. It was suggested that the differences were key factors to understand the Am(III)/Cm(III) selectivity.

Characteristics of TPDN/SiO-P adsorbent for MA(III) recovery

Kofuji, Hirohide; Watanabe, So; Takeuchi, Masayuki; Suzuki, Hideya; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Shiwaku, Hideaki; Yaita, Tsuyoshi

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 5, p.61 - 65, 2018/11

https://doi.org/10.15669/pnst.5.61

Optimization of disposal method and scenario to reduce high level waste volume and repository footprint for HTGR

Fukaya, Yuji; Goto, Minoru; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Nishihara, Tetsuo; Tsubata, Yasuhiro; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 116, p.224 - 234, 2018/06

AA2017-0381.pdf:0.87MB

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2018.02.031

Optimization of disposal method and scenario to reduce volume of High Level Waste (HLW) and the footprint in a geological repository for High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) has been performed. It was found that HTGR has great advantages to reducing HLW volume and its footprint, which are high burn-up, high thermal efficiency and pin-in-block type fuel, compared with those of LWR and has potential to reduce those more in the previous study. In this study, the scenario is optimized, and the geological repository layout is designed with the horizontal emplacement based on the KBS-3H concept instead of the vertical emplacement based on KBS-3V concept employed in the previous study. As a result, for direct disposal, the repository footprint can be reduced by 20 % by employing the horizontal without change of the scenario. By extending 40 years for cooling time before disposal, the footprint can be reduced by 50 %. For disposal with reprocessing, the number of canister generation can be reduced by 20 % by extending cooling time of 1.5 years between the discharge and reprocessing. The footprint per electricity generation can be reduced by 80 % by extending 40 years before disposal. Moreover, by employing four-group partitioning technology without transmutation, the footprint can be reduced by 90 % with cooling time of 150 years.