Technetium Chemistry in the Fuel Cycle: Combining Basic and Applied Studies

Abstract

Technetium is intimately linked with nuclear reactions. The ultraminute natural levels in the environment are due to the spontaneous fission of uranium isotopes. The discovery of technetium was born from accelerator reactions, and its use and presence in the modern world are directly due to nuclear reactors. While occupying a central location in the periodic table, the chemistry of technetium is poorly explored, especially when compared to its neighboring elements, i.e., molybdenum, ruthenium, and rhenium. This state of affairs, which is tied to the small number of laboratories equipped to work with the long-lived (99)Tc isotope, provides a remarkable opportunity to combine basic studies with applications for the nuclear fuel cycle. An example is given through examination of the technetium halide compounds. Binary metal halides represent some of the most fundamental of inorganic compounds. The synthesis of new technetium halides demonstrates trends with structure, coordination number, and speciation that can be utilized in the nuclear fuel cycle. Examples are provided for technetium-zirconium alloys as waste forms and the formation of reduced technetium species in separations.