Open AccessCOMPARISONS OF ORGANIC EXTRACTANTS FOR IRRADIATED URANIUM: TRIBUTYLPHOSPHATE VS DI-SEC-BUTYL PHENYLPHOSPHONATE, DI-N-BUTYL PHENYLPHOSPHONATE, TRI-CAPRYL-PHOSPHATE AND TRI-SEC-BUTYLPHOSPHATE
Author(s) -
A.T. Gresky,
Rosie Mansfield
Publication year - 1959
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/4117998
Subject(s) - chemistry , uranium , fission products , nitric acid , thorium , extraction (chemistry) , radiochemistry , nuclear chemistry , inorganic chemistry , aqueous solution , nuclear fission product , phosphate , actinide , organic chemistry , metallurgy , materials science
Batch extraction scouting tests were performed to establish comparisons of distribution coefficients for uranium, thorium, fission product, and/or plutonium in systems involving several classes of organic phosphorus compounds (diluted in Amsco 125-82 and/or xylene) and aqueous nitrate or nitric acid solutions. Results have substantiated previous conclusions which suggested (1) that the branched secondary alkylphosphates and alkylphenylphosphonates would generally afford uranium separation factors (from thorium and fission products) superior to those obtainable by tributylphosphate (TBP, a normal alkylphosphate); and (2) that the phenylphosphonates would afford reasonably higher extractability of uranium. Preliminary data from irradiation tests with di-sec-butyl phenylphosphonate also support a previous conclusion (3) that the phenyl group affords greater radiation stability of the organo-phosphorus compounds. Since the compound di-sec-butyl phenylphosphonate (DSBPP) effectively combines the above advantages (1), (2), and (3), it has received especial attention as a potential practical competitor for TBP as a recovery process extractant. Results of preliminary counter-current extraction test