To establish the use of TEHDGA/isodecylalcohol/n-dodecane solvent system for actinide partitioning from HLW, the hydrolytic and radiolytic stability of the solvent was investigated. Hydrolysis of TEHDGA with nitric acid at room temperature was not observed. Radiolytic degradation was observed and found to increase with increase in absorbed dose. It was found that the presence of n-dodecane enhances the degradation of TEHDGA whereas isodecyl alcohol, the phase modifier, has no such effect. At gamma-radiation dose as high as 0.2 MGy, no significant loss of TEHDGA was observed. The degradation products were identified by GC-MS, the main products were formed by cleavage of ether and amide bonds of TEHDGA molecule. The extraction behavior of Am(III) at 4.0 M HNO3 does not vary much with increase in absorbed dose, however stripping behavior is affected by the presence of acidic degradation products formed during radiolysis. The findings indicate that the solvent retains its expected extraction and stripping properties up to a high gamma-radiation dose of 0.2 MGy. Irradiated solvent was purified and made suitable for reuse by treating it with 5% w/v Na2CO3 solution, basic alumina and finally by distillation at reduced pressure.
The structure of the extraction complexes of palladium(II) with novel ligands, namely, N,N,N',N'-tetra-(2-ethylhexyl) thiodiglycolamide (T(2EH)TDGA) and N,N,N',N'-tetra-(2-ethylhexyl) dithiodiglycolamide (DTDGA), have been determined by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). The interpretation of the EXAFS data is well supported by theoretical calculations of the complex geometry based on density functional theory (DFT). T(2EH)TDGA, having one thioetheric 'S' atom, forms a square planar complex with the Pd(II) ion, exhibiting 2: 1stoichiometry with one sulphur atom and one carbonyl oxygen atom from each T(2EH)TDGA molecule interacting with Pd(II) at distances of 2.24 and 2.04 Å, respectively. On the other hand, DTDGA, having two 'S' atoms in addition to two carbonyl groups, forms a square planar complex with Pd(II), exhibiting 1: 1stoichiometry, wherein both the sulphur atoms and the carbonyl oxygen of DTDGA interact with Pd(II) at distances of 2.29 and 2.05 Å, respectively. The slight distortion from the perfect square planar geometry could be attributed to the steric hindrance imposed by the bulky alkyl group of the amidic moieties. DFT calculations for the Pd-ligand complexes show that the Pd(II)-DTDGA complex with 1: 1stoichiometry is energetically more stable than the Pd(II)-T(2EH)TDGA complex with 1: 2stoichiometry. Among the two possible Pd(II)-T(2EH)TDGA complex geometries, the cis configuration appears more favorable. The methodology of fitting the EXAFS data has been validated by fitting the EXAFS data of a Pd(II)-aquo complex which showed square planar geometry with two axial water molecules constituting the secondary hydration sphere.
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