Solvent extraction studies of actinides

The objectives of the present work were to investigate the analytical potentialities of HPMBP in presence of neutral donors of varying basicities as synergistic extractants for Pu(VI), U(VI) and Am(III) and to compare the similar results obtained on the synergistic extraction of these actinides by HTTA. Experiments were carried out to understand the nature of species involved, the effect of temperature on the extraction and also the effect of HTTA/HPMBP concentrations on the extraction. Mixtures of certain inorganic salt and a water soluble polymer (poly Ethylene glycol) are known to separate into two phases, which is very useful in solvent extraction chemistry. Such systems are called Aqueous Biphasic Systems (ABS). These systems appear promising for the extraction of actinides as the Poly Ethylene Glycols (PEGs) are very cheap, are commercially available and their use eliminates the need of organic diluents thereby enhancing the safety of the extraction process. Hence investigations were also carried out using ABS for actinides. The objectives of these studies were to ascertain the applicability of PEG-2000 based ABS in combination with water soluble crown ethers (15C5, 18C6) for the extraction of actinides from an aqueous solution containing (NH4)2SO4 and to find out the species extracted and the thermodynamic parameters involved in the extraction reaction