Effective separation of Am(III) and Eu(III) from HNO3 solutions using CyMe4-BTPhen-functionalized silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles.

Ashfaq Afsar,Petr Distler,Laurence M Harwood,Jan John,Michael J Hudson

doi:10.1039/c4cc07478e

Ashfaq Afsar, Petr Distler + Show 3 more

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It has been shown that CyMe4-BTPhen-functionalized silica-coated maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are capable of quantitative separation of Am(III) from Eu(III) from HNO3 solutions. These MNPs also show a small but significant selectivity for Am(III) over Cm(III) with a separation factor of around 2 in 4 M HNO3. The water molecule in the cavity of the BTPhen may also play an important part in the selectivity.

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It has been shown that CyMe4-BTPhen-functionalized silica-coated maghemite (c-Fe2O3) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are capable of quantitative separation of Am(III) from Eu(III) from HNO3 solutions
In the case of the minor actinides (Am and Cm) this requires their selective separation from the chemically similar trivalent lanthanides.[1]. One approach to this has resulted in the development of a combination of two partitioning processes to be applied to post PUREX raffinate. This protocol is based on the co-separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides by a diamide-based ligand (DIAMEX) process, followed by selective separation of trivalent actinides in a SANEX (Selective ActiNide EXtraction) process.[2]
Selective extraction of minor actinides by a liquid– liquid extraction process comes with certain disadvantages, such as the requirement for substantial liquid storage and containment and generation of significant amounts of secondary waste.[14,15]

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Introduction

Effective separation of Am(III) and Eu(III) from HNO3 solutions using CyMe4-BTPhen-functionalized silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles† It has been shown that CyMe4-BTPhen-functionalized silica-coated maghemite (c-Fe2O3) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are capable of quantitative separation of Am(III) from Eu(III) from HNO3 solutions. These MNPs show a small but significant selectivity for Am(III) over Cm(III) with a separation factor of around 2 in 4 M HNO3.

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