Evaluation of fundamental radionuclide extraction data for UREX

Abstract

The speciation of technetium and actinides in advanced solvent extraction systems is the basis for their manipulation in separations. The ability to understand and predict radionuclide speciation is paramount to successful modeling of proposed separation systems. This project will examine the speciation of radionuclides in different stages of the UREX separation scheme, providing data useful to modeling. The areas to be examined include the speciation of U and Pu with tributylphosphate and the kinetics and thermodynamics of lanthanides and actinides in the TALSPEAK system. The complexation constants of U and Pu with tributylphosphate will be evaluated. In the TALSPEAK system, studies will elucidate the difference in complexation kinetics for the lanthanides and actinides. Computational studies based on density functional theory will be performed for both systems