Diluent paraffin nature and plutonium(IV) organic solution lamination: new results and new approach

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 213; pp. 545 - 550
• Main Authors: Renard, Ed.V., Ivanchenko, V.A., Chizhov, A.A., Neumojev, N.V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.1994
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/0925-8388(94)90984-9

The knowledge of the relation between the diluent composition and structure and the critical (maximum achievable) concentration ( CC(Me)) of metals, including plutonium(IV), in the organic phase is an actual goal of a radiochemical extraction technology (PUREX process). Using γ-spectrometry analysis with high accuracy, the parameter CC(Pu) has been determined in application to Pu(IV) nitrate solution in 30% (vol.) TBP diluent solutions. n-Paraffins C 10C 16, iso-paraffins (mono- and dimethylderivatives), iso-paraffins with C-quaternare atoms (hydrogenated mixtures of tetra- and pentapropylene isomers) have been used as diluents. Regular correlations between CC(Pu) parameters and some individual (and mixture) diluent structure characteristics, including practically linear inversely proportional decrease of CC(Pu) with C-atom number increase (in molecules of n-C n H 2 n+2 ), symbatically development of this relation to both the paraffin types (n- and iso-) have been found. The general straight proportional relation between CC(Pu)-parameter and fluidity ( F = 1 η , where η-dynamic viscosity at given temperature) has been discovered for all paraffins investigated — both individual and mixtures — at different temperatures.