The efficient extraction of neodymium, a neutron poison,
is of
great significance in the dry reprocessing process for the nuclear
fuel cycle. The electrochemical extraction of neodymium on a tin electrode
has been studied in molten salts by various electrochemical methods,
and its kinetic and thermodynamic parameters have been provided. The
calculated values of the diffusion coefficient and diffusion activity
energy for Sn(II) and Nd(III) on the W electrode
are 1.34 × 10–5 to 3.54 × 10–5 cm2 S–1/36.17 kJ mol–1 and 2.18 × 10–5 to 3.06 × 10–5 cm2 S–1/31.19 kJ mol–1, respectively. The deposition mechanism and precipitation potential
sequence of Sn(II) and Nd(III) for the W electrode
were studied in detail by cyclic voltammetry and open circuit chronopotential,
and the formation enthalpy and entropy of Sn3Gd intermetallic
compound are −271.9 kJ mol–1 and −55.9
J mol–1 K–1. According to the
analysis of the electrochemical potential parameters, the appropriate
potential and current were selected for the electrolysis experiments.
Therefore, the fission product neodymium is deposited on the liquid
tin cathode via potentiostatic/galvanostatic technologies. X-ray diffraction
analysis and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive
X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the cathode alloy samples.
The average recovery rate of neodymium on the liquid tin cathode is
about 99.08% by multiple analysis of inductively coupled plasma atomic
emission spectrometry.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.