Reprocessing of spent nuclear waste using ionic liquids

Abstract

Nuclear power has once again attracted from all over the world due to many factors including the rise in oil process and environmental concerns on greenhouse gas emission resulting in global warming. However, spent fuel from nuclear power reactors is an enormous problem both from radiation hazard and economical point of view. Therefore, this review presents an overview of application of ionic liquids (ILs) in spent fuel reprocessing, particularly in the extraction of high-level radioactive aqueous waste from the processing of nuclear fuel.

A comparative study of the cathodic behaviour of EuCl3 in two imidazolium chloride ionic liquids, the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (C4mimCl) and the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (C2mimCl), on a glassy carbon electrode

“…As it is shown in Figs. 2-3, no other waves attributed to the reduction of the electrogenerated EuCl 6 4 − were observed within the electrochemical windows of the electrolytes. The reduction of the imidazolium cation, hinders the reduction of EuCl 6 4 − to Eu(0), therefore the reduction potential of EuCl 6 4 − /Eu(0) must be more negative in potential than those corresponding to the reduction of the respective imidazolium cation.…”

“…Stock solutions of europium in these ILs were prepared and stored in a homemade glove box under a N 2 gas atmosphere, by direct addition of anhydrous EuCl 3 (Sigma Aldrich 99.99% Mm 258.32 g/mol, CAS: 10025-76-0) powder, being dissolved as EuCl 6 3 − . A portion of the corresponding stock solution was transferred to the electrochemical conical double wall cell, Metrohm 6.1415.150, made of glass, connected to a TAMPSON TC3 thermostat to control the temperature, and dry dinitrogen (Alphagaz N 2 (1) purchased from Air Liquide) was bubbled through the solution continuously to ensure the absence of oxygen and water.…”

“…EuCl 3 dissolved in a rich chloride ionic liquid) [23,27] on a glassy carbon electrode. In both imidazolium ILs, the electro-reduction of EuCl 6 3 − takes place through only one electrochemical step giving rise to a group of signals A/A′ with the shape expected for an electrochemical system in which the oxidized and reduced species are soluble in the media, and that can be assigned to the reduction of EuCl 6 3 − and the oxidation of the electro-generated EuCl 6 4 − . As it is shown in Figs.…”

“…2-3 also depict examples of the CVs registered with a solution of EuCl 6 3 − (i.e. EuCl 3 dissolved in a rich chloride ionic liquid) [23,27] on a glassy carbon electrode.…”

“…ndodecane), currently employed for the liquid-liquid extraction of actinides and lanthanides in aqueous reprocessing [6][7][8][9], with the aim to reduce the chemical and radiolytic degradation of the solvent, as well as the volume of generated secondary wastes. ii) as a possible alternative to high temperature molten salts (e.g.…”