Alpha-radiolysis of di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid its effect on transplutonium and rare earth element extraction

Radiolysis of the di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA) under the effect of curium - 242 α-particles has been studied. It is shown that radiation yield of D2EHPA decomposition products as well as accumulation of mono-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (M2EHPA) and phosphoric acid (H3PO4) in the range of dose rates (1-9) Gy/s do not depend on the dose rate and increase when decane is substituded for diethylbenzene diluent and when D2EHPA is irradiated in the presence of water. A higher radiation yield of the extracting agent decomposition products is a feature of α-radiolysis as compared with α-radiolysis. A dependence of radiation yield of D2EHPA decomposition products and M2EHPA accumulation on the initial D2EHPA concentration is obtained. Data on α-ra.diolysis effect upon curium extraction are presented. The study of cerium and curium extraction in the system, simulating the irradiated extracting agent has shown that account of 2-ethylhexyl alcohol accumulation as well as of M2EHPA approximates the model system to a real one