The chemical stability of tributyl phosphate in some nitrate and chloride systems

Abstract

BS>Preliminary studies have disclosed two factors about the chemical stability of TBP which are very impontant to the processing of nuclear fuels. First, the so-called acid catalyzed hydrolysis of TBP (equilibrated with 2 to 5 M acid) is not primarily a hydrolysis reaction, but a dealkylation reaction. Second, TBP is degraded quite rapidly by (a) a homogeneous reaction with extracted zirconium (nitrate or chloride) and by (b) a heterogensous reaction with solid zirconium compounds (nitrate or chloride). In both (a) and (b) either n-butyl nitrate or n-butyl chloride and insoluble zirconium organic phosphates are major products. (N.W.R.)