IEC 123 |
| K. Scott Sportsman, NMT-2 Actinide Process Chemistry, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS J514, Los Alamos, NM 87545, Kent D. Abney, Nuclear Materials Technology Division, Los Alamos National Lab, NMT-2, MS-E511, Los Alamos, NM 87545, and Elizabeth A. Bluhm, Actinide Process Chemistry Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS E511, Los Alamos, NM 87545. |
| The TRUEX liquid-liquid extraction process uses a solution containing n-octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide(CMPO) and tributyl-phosphate (TBP) to separate actinides from liquid acidic nuclear wastes. In an effort to reduce the amount of extractant and generated solvent wastes, a membrane process utilizing these extractants was developed for specific applications at Los Alamos National Laboratory. An electroless gold deposition technique was used to deposit a gold-coat on track-etched polycarbonate membranes, resulting in pores with inside diameters below 5 nm. The extractant ligands, CMPO and TBP, were then functionalized with thiol groups. These functionalized thiol groups were chemisorbed to the membrane surface and pore spaces in order to create an avenue for selective, facilitated transport through the membrane. Diffusion studies through the functionalized membranes were then performed on aqueous and acid solutions containing multivalent actinide cations. |
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Advanced Technologies for Decontaminating and Managing Radioactive Wastes
1:00 PM-5:00 PM, Tuesday, March 25, 2003 Convention Center -- Room 394, Oral
Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry |