Functionalized ionic liquids. New agents for the extraction of actinides/lanthandies

Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are promising solvent alternatives in organic synthesis, catalysis, electrochemistry and separation processes. They appear as interesting media for the elaboration of separation processes in the nuclear fuel cycle. However, the partitioning of metallic species in liquid-liquid extraction is largely limited by the low complexation properties of the hydrophobia ionic liquids: in general, hydrophobic RTILs are non-coordinating, and the highly hydrated metal ions remain in the aqueous phase. (orig.)