Extraction of plutonium(IV) from acidic feeds using several diamides with a tri-phenyl pyridine centre

Abstract

Three tri-aryl-pyridine (TAP) diamides containing a pyridine spacer were evaluated for the extraction of Pu(IV) and U(VI) using a process compatible diluent mixture of 95% dodecane\u2009+\u20095% isodecanol. Preferential extraction of Pu(IV) was seen which showed a general increasing trend with increasing aqueous phase nitric acid concentration. The stripping was facile with several reducing/complexing agents and the results of 3 cycles of extraction and stripping were reproducible. The extraction of Am(III), Eu(III), Sr(II) and Cs(I) was\u2009<\u20090.1% suggesting effective decontamination from the fission and activation products which was proven by alpha and gamma ray spectrometric methods.