Evaluation of the remaining spent extraction solvent in vermiculite after leaching tests via PIXE analysis

Arai, Yoichi; Watanabe, So; Hasegawa, Kenta; Okamura, Nobuo; Watanabe, Masayuki; Takeda, Keisuke*; Fukumoto, Hiroki*; Ago, Tomohiro*; Hagura, Naoto*; Tsukahara, Takehiko*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 542, p.206 - 213, 2023/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2023.07.003

Extraction of Rh(III) from hydrochloric acid by protonated NTAamide(C6) and analogous compounds and understanding of extraction equilibria by using UV spectroscopy and DFT calculations

Sasaki, Yuji; Kaneko, Masashi; Ban, Yasutoshi; Kinoshita, Ryoma; Matsumiya, Masahiko*; Shinoku, Kota*; Shiroishi, Hidenobu*

Analytical Sciences, 9 Pages, 2023/00

https://doi.org/10.1007/s44211-023-00376-8

Extraction of Rh from HCl can be performed by NTAamide(C6) (hexahexyl-nitrilotriacetamide) and other related compounds into n-dodecane. We use ion-pair extraction of anionic species of Rh-chloride and protonated extractant. Rh behave as anion in hydrochloric acid and the tertiary nitrogen atom in extractant may be protonated to produce the quaternary amine in acidic condition. From the present work, the maximum distribution ratio of Rh(III) is 16. The D(Rh) values are changeable during preparation of the aqueous solutions because different Rh-Cl-HO complexes are formed in HCl media and show the slow exchange rate between Cl and HO. Using the UV spectrum, Rh-chloride solution having the peak of spectrum at 504 nm can be extracted effectively, where RhCl(HO) and RhCl(HO) exist mainly from DFT calculation. Stoichiometry of one-one complex of Rh and NTAamide is obtained from slope analysis, and 85 mM of concentrated Rh ion can be extracted.

Separation of light and middle lanthanides using multistage extraction with diglycolamide extractant

Matsutani, Takafumi; Sasaki, Yuji; Katsuta, Shoichi*

Analytical Sciences, 37(11), p.1603 - 1609, 2021/11

https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.21P120

We investigated the chemical behavior of lanthanides (Ln) using diglycolamide extractant with multistage extraction. We obtained the breakthrough curves for light and middle Ln. Our study reveals that the metal extraction limit depends on their values and metal concentrations used in the experiments. From the multistage extractions of 15 aqueous phases and 15 organic phases, three curves (extraction curves, back-extraction curves, and separation curves) were obtained by changing the nitric acid concentration. As an example, under a condition of the separation curve experiment (aqueous phase: 0.5 M HNO, organic phase: 0.1 M TDDGA (-tetradecyl-diglycolamide) in -dodecane), a recovery of more than 99% of Sm in the organic phase with less than 1% Nd can be obtained.

Fundamental study on multistage extraction using TDdDGA for separation of lanthanides present in Nd magnets

Sasaki, Yuji; Morita, Keisuke; Matsumiya, Masahiko*; Ono, Ryoma*; Shiroishi, Hidenobu*

JOM, 73(4), p.1037 - 1043, 2021/04

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-021-04586-1

The separation of Dy from Nd is studied from the viewpoint of recycling Dy from Nd magnets. Both metals are lanthanide elements, which means their mutual separation is difficult because of their similar chemical behaviors. All lanthanide elements can be extracted easily by using tetradodecyl-diglycolamide (TDdDGA) extractants, and it has a relatively high separation factor (SF) between Dy and Nd (SF over 10). In the present study, by performing eight extraction steps with the organic phase (0.1M TDdDGA in dodecane), ten steps with an aqueous phase (0.7 M HNO with metals), and six steps with another aqueous phase (0.7 M HNO without metals), approximately 99% Dy was recovered into the organic phase with 1% co-extraction of Nd.

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.

Lanthanide intra-series separation by a 1,10-phenanthroline derivative; Counterion effect

Simonnet, M.; Suzuki, Shinichi; Miyazaki, Yuji*; Kobayashi, Toru; Yokoyama, Keiichi; Yaita, Tsuyoshi

Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange, 38(4), p.430 - 440, 2020/00

https://doi.org/10.1080/07366299.2020.1744806

Continuous liquid-liquid extraction of uranium from uranium-containing wastewater using an organic phase-refining-type emulsion flow extractor

Nagano, Tetsushi; Naganawa, Hirochika; Suzuki, Hideya; Toshimitsu, Masaaki*; Mitamura, Hisayoshi*; Yanase, Nobuyuki*; Grambow, B.

Analytical Sciences, 34(9), p.1099 - 1102, 2018/09

https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.18N002

A previously reported emulsion flow (EF) extraction system does not include a device for refining used solvent. Therefore, the processing of large quantities of wastewater by using the EF extractor alone could lead to the accumulation of wastewater components into the solvent and diminished extraction performance. In the present study, we have developed a solvent-washing-type EF system, which is equipped with a unit for washing used solvent to prevent accumulation, and successfully applied it for treating uranium-containing wastewater.

Precious metal extraction by N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl-thiodiglycolamide and its comparison with N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl-diglycolamide and methylimino-N,N'-dioctylacetamide

Sasaki, Yuji; Morita, Keisuke; Saeki, Morihisa*; Hisamatsu, Shugo; Yoshizuka, Kazuharu*

Hydrometallurgy, 169, p.576 - 584, 2017/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2017.03.005

The novel tridentate extractant including soft donor has developed and examined. The extractant, tetraoctyl-thiodiglycolamide (TDGA), is analogous structure to tetraoctyl-diglycolamide (TODGA) and methylimino-dioctylacetamide (MIDOA), but with sulfur donor instead of ether oxygen or nitrogen atoms of TODGA or MIDOA. From the present work, TDGA can extract silver, palladium, gold, and mercury from acidic solutions to n-dodecane. In addition to these results, the distribution ratios of hard and soft acid metals by using TDGA, TODGA, and MIDOA are compared, where the metal-complexations with each donor atom are investigated. 1H-NMR and IR studies for the metal-TDGA complexes indicate the role on donor atoms, S and N, of TDGA.

Application of turbidity measurement for evaluation of two-phase separation in ,-dialkylamides-nitric acid systems

Tsutsui, Nao; Ban, Yasutoshi; Hakamatsuka, Yasuyuki; Urabe, Shunichi; Matsumura, Tatsuro

Proceedings of 21st International Conference & Exhibition; Nuclear Fuel Cycle for a Low-Carbon Future (GLOBAL 2015) (USB Flash Drive), p.1153 - 1157, 2015/09

,-Dialkylamides are promising alternative extractants to tri--butyl phosphate in the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels, but the two-phase separation between their organic and aqueous phases has not been evaluated quantitatively. ,-Di(2-ethylhexyl)-2,2-dimethylpropanamide (DEHDMPA) in -dodecane were agitated with uranyl nitrate-containing nitric acid, and their turbidities and their uranium distribution ratios were measured with respect to the time for the quantitative evaluation. Increasing DEHDMPA, uranium, and nitric acid concentrations enhanced turbidities. Although turbidities decreased with respect to the time, uranium distribution ratios slightly changed, indicating the observed turbidities did not affect these uranium distribution ratios significantly. Therefore, DEHDMPA may act as suitable extractant for uranium in nitric acid from two-phase separation viewpoint, and turbidity may be an indicator for extractant performance evaluation.

Elemental separation simulation in the ARTIST process; Separation simulation of counter-current extractor by commercial software

Yamaguchi, Isoo*; Suzuki, Shinichi; Sasaki, Yuji; Yamagishi, Isao; Matsumura, Tatsuro; Kimura, Takaumi

JAERI-Tech 2005-037, 56 Pages, 2005/07

JAERI-Tech-2005-037.pdf:2.31MB

For the development of the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels, the solvent extraction using the mixer-settler equipment is greatly available. This method has the advantages of the treatment of the large mass of materials and continuous operations. In case of the application of the mixer-settler devise, the precise calculation using the distribution ratio of metals in order to determine the metal concentration at each stage is indispensable. This calculation is performed in the development of ARTIST process. The metal concentration in each stage of ARTIST process is calculated by the simulation using excel software equipped with counter-current equations. This method is not taken into consideration of the change of acid concentration, therefore, we developed the new method to calculate the metal concentration even after acidity change. This method can calculate not only the metal concentration at each extraction step but also at each stage of mixer-settler. Using this calculation, we evaluated the optimum condition of solvent extraction in ARTIST process.