Investigation of electrorefining of metallic alloy fuel onto solid Al cathodes

This work concerned the electrorefining of UZr and UPuZr alloys on a solid aluminium cathode, in the LiCl-KCl eutectic melt containing U3+, Pu3+, Np3+, Zr2+ or Zr 4+, Am3+, Nd3+, Y3+, Ce3+ and Gd3+ chlorides. During constant current electrolyses, the use of a cathodic cut-off potential (-1.25 V vs. Ag/AgCl) allowed to selectively deposit actinides (mainly U), while lanthanides remainedin the salt. The aim was to determine the maximal load achievable on a single aluminium electrode. The total exchange charge was 4300 C, which represents the deposition of 3.72 g of actinides in 4.17 g Al, yielding a composition of 44.6 wt% An in Al. It was shown that the melting of the cathode contributed to increase the total amount of actinides deposited on the aluminium

On the formation of U-Al alloys in the molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

U-Al alloy formation has been studied in the temperature range of 400 – 550 °C by electrochemical techniques in the molten LiCl-KCl eutectic. Cyclic voltammetry showed that underpotential reduction of U(III) onto solid Al occurs at a potential about 0.35 V more anodic than pure U deposition. Open circuit potential measurements, recorded after small depositions of U metal onto the Al electrode, did not allow the distinction between potentials associated with UAlx alloys and the Al rest potential, as they were found to be practically identical. As a consequence, a spontaneous chemical reaction between dissolved UCl3 and Al is thermodynamically possible and was experimentally observed. Galvanostatic electrolyses were carried out both on Al rods and Al plates. Stable and dense U-Al deposits were obtained with high faradic yields, and the possibility to load the whole bulk of a thin Al plate was demonstrated. The analyses (by SEM-EDX and XRD) of the deposits indicated the formation of different intermetallic phases (UAl2, UAl3 and UAl4) depending on the experimental conditions

Actinide Electrochemistry in Low Temperature Ionic Liquids

Low Temperature or Room Temperature Ionic Liquids (RTILs) are viscous media entirely made up of ionic species but in contrast to traditional ionic media such as high temperature molten salts (LiCL/KCl, LiF/AIf3...), the melting pount is typially under 373K instead of over 600K.JRC.E.6-Actinides researc

Thermochemical Properties of Lanthanides (Ln = La, Nd) and Actinides (An = U, Np, Pu, Am) in the Molten LiCl-KCl Eutectic

The electrochemical reduction of actinides (U, Pu, Np and Am) and lanthanides (La and Nd) chlorides was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronopotentiometry at different temperatures in LiCl¿KCl eutectic. The diffusion coeffcients of these metallic cations were estimated as well as their apparent standard potentials. These values of potentials are compared with existing data measured also by transient electrochemical techniques or e.m.f. measurements.JRC.E.2-Hot cell

Electrochemistry of Uranium in the Molten LiCl-KCl Eutectic

The Institute for Transuranium Elements ITU is building up an accurate database of actinide behavior in chloride melts in support of its nuclear fuel reprocessing development program. The electrochemical properties of uranium, dissolved in LiCl-KCl eutectic melt, were investigated by transient electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry CV and chronopotentiometry on an inert tungsten electrode. It was shown that U4+ is reduced to U0 by a two-step mechanism corresponding to U4+/U3+ and U3+/U0 transitions. In the 400-550 C s673-823 Kd range, the diffusion coefficients of U3+ and U4+ were similar and equal to: DsU3+d = 13.7 3 10−4 exph−24.2 3 103/RTsKdj and DsU4+d = 5.25 3 10−4 exph−19.8 3 103/RTsKdj cm2 s−1. The apparent standard potentials of U4+/U3+ and U3+/U0 redox systems were Eo sU4+/U3+dsVd = −1.902 + 0.0006104T sKd vs. Cl2/Cl− and Eo sU3+/U0dsVd = −3.099 + 0.0007689T sKd vs. Cl2/Cl−, respectively. Some thermochemical properties sDG,gd of uranium solutions were also derived from the electrochemical measurements. The Gibbs free energies of dilute solution of UCl3 and UCl4 in the LiCl-KCl were determined to be: DG = −897.09 + 0.226T sKd and −183.53 + 0.0589T sKd in kJ mol−1, respectively. In the 400-550C s673-823 Kd range, the activity coefficients g of UCl3 and UCl4 range between 0.3 − 4.5 3 10−3 and 17.1 − 12.7 3 10−3, respectively.JRC.E.2-Hot cell

Case Report: Long-term observations from the tacrolimus weaning randomized clinical trial depicts the challenging aspects for determination of low-immunological risk patients

International audienceWhilst calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) are the cornerstone of immunosuppressive maintenance therapy in kidney transplantation, several studies have investigated the safety of CNI withdrawal in order to avoid their numerous side effects. In this context, we performed several years ago a clinical randomized trial evaluating CNI weaning in stable kidney transplant recipients without anti-HLA immunization. The trial was interrupted prematurely due to a high number of de novo DSA (dnDSA) and biopsy proven acute rejection (BPAR) in patients who underwent tacrolimus weaning, resulting in treatment for rejection and resumption of tacrolimus. We report here the long-term outcomes of patients included in this clinical trial. Ten years after randomization, all patients are alive with a functional allograft. They all receive tacrolimus therapy except one with recurrent cutaneous neoplasia issues. Long-term eGFR was comparable between patients of the two randomized groups (46.4 ml/min vs 42.8 ml/min). All dnDSA that occurred during the study period became non-detectable and all rejections episodes were reversed. The retrospective assessment of HLA DQ single molecule epitope mismatching determined that a majority of patients who developed dnDSA after tacrolimus withdrawal would have been considered at high immunological risk. Minimization of immunosuppression remains a challenging objective, mainly because of the issues to properly select very low immunological risk patients. Valuable improvements have been made the last decade regarding evaluation of the allograft rejection notably through the determination of numerous at-risk biomarkers. However, even if the impact of such tools still need to be clarify in clinical routine, they may permit an improvement in patients’ selection for immunosuppression minimization without increasing the risk of allograft rejection

Electrochemistry of Uranium in the Molten LiCl-KCl Eutectic.

Abstract not availableJRC.E-Institute for Transuranium Elements (Karlsruhe

Inventory of armourstone

Natural armourstone is widely used for hydraulic works, both in the coastal domain and in border of rivers and torrents, especially to protect against flood and the effects of waves and currents. To meet the expectations associated with this resource, an inventory of armourstone quarries was realized on a national scale in France. This inventory informs not only about the localization of quarries but also about the quality and the availability of materials. To fully optimize this inventory in a dynamic format, the association of all actors of the sector was preferred to archival research. This partnership approach led to project deliverables that can constitute durably a shared reference. The database can indeed be updated regularly thanks to the contacts established with the professionals of quarries. The access to this database is offered to a wide public: maritime and fluvial ports, local authorities in charge of planning and managing structures that protect against flood and other hydraulic hazards. This new database was organized considering its importance on the operational plan. This led to a hierarchical organization at two levels for each quarry face: first level, a synthesis sheet brings the essential information to realize choices upstream to the operational phases. Second level, a detailed specification sheet presents the technical characteristics observed in the past on the considered face. The atlas has two information broadcasting formats: a pdf file with browsing functions and a geographical information system that allows remote request of the database. These two media have their own updating rhythms, annual for the first and continue for the second

Inventory of armourstone

Natural armourstone is widely used for hydraulic works, both in the coastal domain and in border of rivers and torrents, especially to protect against flood and the effects of waves and currents. To meet the expectations associated with this resource, an inventory of armourstone quarries was realized on a national scale in France. This inventory informs not only about the localization of quarries but also about the quality and the availability of materials. To fully optimize this inventory in a dynamic format, the association of all actors of the sector was preferred to archival research. This partnership approach led to project deliverables that can constitute durably a shared reference. The database can indeed be updated regularly thanks to the contacts established with the professionals of quarries. The access to this database is offered to a wide public: maritime and fluvial ports, local authorities in charge of planning and managing structures that protect against flood and other hydraulic hazards. This new database was organized considering its importance on the operational plan. This led to a hierarchical organization at two levels for each quarry face: first level, a synthesis sheet brings the essential information to realize choices upstream to the operational phases. Second level, a detailed specification sheet presents the technical characteristics observed in the past on the considered face. The atlas has two information broadcasting formats: a pdf file with browsing functions and a geographical information system that allows remote request of the database. These two media have their own updating rhythms, annual for the first and continue for the second