Development of Separation Process for Minor Actinides Using TDdDGA and New Extractants

Full text of publication follows: Separation process for minor actinides (MA = Am, Cm and Np) has been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency using new innovative extractants to improve the partitioning process from the viewpoints of the economy and the reduction of secondary wastes. Phosphorus-free compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen (CHON principle) were applied to the separation steps for MA. At the first step, MA and lanthanide elements (Ln) are recovered from high-level liquid waste by solvent extraction with N,N,N',N'-tetra-dodecyl-diglycolamide (TDdDGA). Trivalent actinides Am and Cm, are separated from RE at the next step by solvent extraction using podand type soft-donor extractant such as N,N,N',N'- tetrakis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)- decane-1,2-diamine (TPDN) or hybrid type extractant such as N-octyl-N-(ptolyl)- 1,10-phenanthroline-2-carboxamide (OctTolPTA). This paper presents the current status of the research and development programme. This study is carried out under the Innovative Nuclear Research and Development Programme by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. (authors)