γ-Ray radiolysis of acetohydroxamic acid in HNO3 and its radiolytic product

• Published in: 核技术（英文版） Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 37 - 44
• Main Authors: Jin-Hua Wang, Chao Li, Qian Li, Ming-Hong Wu, Wei-Fang Zheng, Hui He
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China%Radiochemistry Department, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Box 275, Beijing 102413, China 2018
• Subjects: y-Ray radiolysis; Purex process; Radiolytic product; Acetohydroxamic acid; Complexant reductant
• ISSN: 1001-8042; 2210-3147

Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) is a novel saltfree reagent used for the separation of Pu and Np from U in the advanced Purex process.This paper reports the γ-ray damage of AHA in HNO3 and its radiolytic product.For 0.2 mol L-1 AHA in 0.2-2.0 mol L-1 HNO3 irradiated at a dose of 5-25 kGy,the radiolytic rate of AHA is 6.63-77.5％,and it increases with the HNO3 concentration and absorbed dose.The main radiolytic gases are N20 and H2,with volume fractions of (0.500-16.2) × 10-2 and (1.30-11.8) × 10-3,respectively,and they increase with the absorbed dose;the H2 volume fraction decreases with increasing HNO3 concentration.The main liquid radiolytic products are CH3COOH and HNO2,and their concentrations are (3.40-19.7) × 10-2 and (0.200-4.80) × 10-3-mol L-1,respectively,which increase with the HNO3concentration.Since a significant concentration of HNO2 is present in the irradiated AHA-HNO3 solution,a holding reductant must be used to destroy HNO2 and stabilize Pu(Ⅲ) and Np(Ⅴ) when AHA is applied for the separation of Pu and Np from U.