Investigations on the radiation stability of incinerable CHON based ionic liquid containing diglycolamide

Abstract

The radiolytic degradation of tetra-2-ethylhexyl diglycolamide (T2EHDGA) and its solution with methyltrioctylammonium nitrate ([N1888][NO3]) was assessed by irradiating the individual liquids and the solution of T2EHDGA in [N1888][NO3] to different γ-absorbed dose levels, and determining the distribution ratio of Am(III) and Nd(III) in the irradiated organic phases. The data obtaining for the irradiated liquids were compared with those obtained for unirradiated liquid phase as well as with the conventional organic phase composed of T2EHDGA in n-dodecane (n-DD). While the distribution ratio of Am(III) in irradiated T2EHDGA/n-DD decreased with increase of absorbed dose, it was invariant in case of irradiated T2EHDGA/[N1888][NO3]. To understand this discrepancy, the distribution ratio of Am(III) as well as the loading behavior of Nd(III) in a solution of irradiated T2EHDGA present in unirradiated [N1888][NO3] as well as in the unirradiated T2EHDGA present in irradiated [N1888][NO3] was measured and compared. The results revealed that the irradiated systems containing either the irradiated T2EHDGA or irradiated [N1888][NO3] undergo degradation upon γ-irradiation, but when they were combined, they mutually facilitate the extraction of Am(III) and Nd(III) comparable to that observed in the unirradiated condition. This observation was also supported by the FTIR spectroscopic investigation of the irradiated organic phases.