Highly Efficient and Selective Dissolution Separation of Fission Products by an Ionic Liquid [Hbet][TfN]: A New Approach to Spent Nuclear Fuel Recycling.

Here, we propose the use of carboxyl-functionalized ionic liquid, [Hbet][TfN], to separate the fission products from spent nuclear fuels. This innovative method allows the selective dissolution of neutron poisons, lanthanides oxide, as well as some fission products with high yield, leaving most of the UO matrix and minor actinides behind in the spent nuclear fuel and accomplishing the actinides recovery as a group. Water-saturated [Hbet][TfN] can dissolve lanthanides oxide from simulated spent nuclear fuel with a dissolution ratio of 100% at 40 °C.

Gas-phase chemistry of technetium carbonyl complexes.

Gas-phase chemical behaviors of short-lived technetium carbonyl complexes were studied using a low temperature isothermal chromatograph (IC) coupled with a (252)Cf spontaneous fission (SF) source. Fission products recoiled from the (252)Cf SF source were thermalized in a mixed gas containing CO, and then technetium carbonyl complexes were formed from reactions between CO gas and various technetium isotopes. A gas-jet system was employed to transport the volatile carbonyl complexes from a recoil chamber to the IC.