Extraction of U(VI) by tris (2-methylbutyl) phosphate from nitric acid media

Our earlier studies on the development of alternate extractants to tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) have indicated that tris(2- methylbutyl) phosphate (T2MBP) possess the characteristic properties essential to be utilized as an extractant for the processing of nuclear materials. It has been confirmed that T2MBP exhibits low aqueous solubility, higher capacity to load tetravalent metal ions without third phase formation and hexavalent U(VI) ion up to its theoretical limit and thus can be suitable for fast reactor fuel reprocessing, thorium extraction/monazite processing etc. In the present work, the extraction profiles of U (VI) and HNO₃ for 1.1 M solution of T2MBP in n-dodecane (n-DD) from varying concentrations of uranyl nitrate solutions in 0.5 M, 2 M and 4 M nitric acid at 303 K were generated. The present study indicates the potential application of T2MBP for solvent extraction processes in various stages of nuclear fuel cycle