Feasibility of using the mixture of two symmetrical diglycolamides instead of unsymmetrical diglycolamide solvent for the separation of trivalent actinides

A mixture of 0.05 M N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) + 0.05 M N,N,N',N'-tetra-2-ethylhexyl diglycolamide (TEHDGA)/n-dodecane was evaluated for its resemblance with its corresponding unsymmetrical diglycolamide (UDGA), N,N-di-2-ethylhexyl-N',N'-dioctyl diglycolamide was evaluated by studying their affinity towards the extraction of trivalent f-ions (Am(III), Eu(III)), divalent fission products (Sr(II) and Ba(II)), third phase formation tendency during the extraction of nitric acid and Nd(III) from nitric acid medium and aggregate formation behavior in order to verify the feasibility of using the solvent mixture in place of UDGA to achieve the combined properties of symmetrical diglycolamides, TODGA and TEHDGA. (author)