Biswajit Sadhu

Investigations on preferential Pu(IV) extraction over U(VI) by N,N-dihexyloctanamide versus tri-n-butyl phosphate: evidence through small angle neutron scattering and DFT studies.

Straight chain amide N,N-dihexyloctanamide (DHOA) has been found to be a promising alternative extractant to tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) for the reprocessing of irradiated uranium- and thorium-based fuels. Unlike TBP, DHOA displays preferential extraction of Pu(IV) over U(VI) at higher acidities (≥3 M HNO3) and poor extraction at lower acidities. Density functional theory (DFT) based calculations have been carried out on the structures and relative binding energies of U(VI) and Pu(IV) with the extractant molecules. These calculations suggest that the differential hardness of the two extractants is responsible for the preferential binding/complexation of TBP to uranyl, whereas the softer DHOA and the bulky nature of the extractant lead to stronger binding/complexation of DHOA to Pu(IV). In conjunction with quantum chemical calculations, small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements have also been performed for understanding the stoichiometry of the complex formed that leads to relatively lower extraction of Th(IV) (a model for Pu(IV)) as compared to U(VI) using DHOA and TBP as the extractants. The combined experimental and theoretical studies helped us to understand the superior complexation/extraction behavior of Pu(IV) over U(VI) with DHOA.

An Insight into Third-Phase Formation during the Extraction of Thorium Nitrate: Evidence for Aggregate Formation from Small-Angle Neutron Scattering and Validation by Computational Studies

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies were carried out to compare the aggregation behavior of 1.1 M solutions of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and N,N-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA) dissolved in different deuterated diluents, viz., n-dodecane, chloroform, and benzene, during the extraction of Th(IV) from nitric acid medium. The scattering data was treated using the Baxter sticky spheres model. The third phase formed in the case of DHOA displayed higher aggregation tendency compared to that of TBP. These studies have demonstrated that the nature of the diluents plays an important role in the aggregation behavior of the extracted species (reverse micelles). No third phase was observed in the case of chlorinated and aromatic diluents like chloroform and benzene during the extraction of Th(IV) from nitric acid medium. Theoretical calculations were also performed to gain insights into the binding of thorium nitrate with TBP and DHOA models. These calculations suggest that two to three molecules of both DHOA and TBP strongly coordinate to Th(NO3)4. It is noted that the highly charged Th(IV) cations are screened by nitrates and extractants which enables the interaction of second unit of such complex through noncovalent interactions.

Effect of successive alkylation of N,N-dialkyl amides on the complexation behavior of uranium and thorium: solvent extraction, small angle neutron scattering, and computational studies.

The effect of successive alkylation of the Cα atom adjacent to the carbonyl group in N,N-dialkyl amides (i.e., di(2-ethylhexyl)acetamide (D2EHAA), di(2-ethylhexyl)propionamide (D2EHPRA), di(2-ethylhexyl)isobutyramide (D2EHIBA), and di(2-ethylhexyl)pivalamide (D2EHPVA)) on the extraction behavior of hexavalent uranium (U(VI)) and tetravalent thorium (Th(IV)) ions has been investigated. These studies show that the extraction of Th(IV) is significantly suppressed compared to that of U(VI) with increased branching at the Cα atom adjacent to the carbonyl group. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies showed an increased aggregation tendency in the presence of nitric acid and metal ions. D2EHAA showed more aggregation compared to its branched homologues, which explains its capacity for higher extraction of metal ions. These experimental observations were further supported by density function theory calculations, which provided structural evidence of differential binding affinities of these extractants for uranyl cations. The complexation process is primarily controlled by steric and electronic effects. Quantum chemical calculations showed that local hardness and polarizability can be extremely useful inputs for designing novel extractants relevant to a nuclear fuel cycle.

Efficient Separation of Europium Over Americium Using Cucurbit-[5]-uril Supramolecule: A Relativistic DFT Based Investigation.

Achieving an efficient separation of chemically similar Am(3+)/Eu(3+) pair in high level liquid waste treatment is crucial for managing the long-term nuclear waste disposal issues. The use of sophisticated supramolecules in a rigid framework could be the next step toward solving the long-standing problem. Here, we have investigated the possibility of separating Am(3+)/Eu(3+) pair with cucurbit-[5]-uril (CB[5]), a macrocycle from the cucurbit-[n]-uril family, using relativistic density functional theory (DFT) based calculations. We have explored the structures, binding, and energetics of metal-CB[5] complexation processes with and without the presence of counterions. Our study reveals an excellent selectivity of Eu(3+) over Am(3+) with CB[5] (ion exchange free energy, ΔΔGAm/Eu > 10 kcal mol(-1)). Both metals bind with the carbonyl portals via μ(5) coordination arrangement with the further involvement of three external water molecules. The presence of counterions, particularly nitrate, inside the hydrophobic cavity of CB[5], induces a cooperative cation-anion binding, resulting in enhancement of metal binding at the host. The overall binding process is found to be entropy driven resembling the recent experimental observations (Rawat et al. Dalton Trans. 2015, 44, 4246-4258). The optimized structural parameters for Eu(3+)-CB[5] complexes are found to be in excellent agreement with the available experimental information. To rationalize the computed selectivity trend, electronic structures are further scrutinized using energy decomposition analysis (EDA), quantum theory of atom in molecules (QTAIM), Mülliken population analysis (MPA), Nalewajski-Mrojek (NM) bond order, and molecular orbital analyses. Strong electrostatic ion-dipole interaction along with efficient charge transfer between CB[5] and Eu(3+) outweighs the better degree of covalency between CB[5] and Am(3+) leading to superior selectivity of Eu(3+) over Am(3+).

Water-Mediated Differential Binding of Strontium and Cesium Cations in Fulvic Acid

The migration of potentially harmful radionuclides, such as cesium ((137)Cs) and strontium ((90)Sr), in soil is governed by the chemical and biological reactivity of soil components. Soil organic matter (SOM) that can be modeled through fulvic acid (FA) is known to alter the mobility of radionuclide cations, Cs(+) and Sr(2+). Shedding light on the possible interaction mechanisms at the atomic level of these two ions with FA is thus vital to explain their transport behavior and for the design of new ligands for the efficient extraction of radionuclides. Here we have performed molecular dynamics, metadynamics simulations, and density-functional-theory-based calculations to understand the binding mechanism of Sr(2+) and Cs(+) cations with FA. Our studies predict that interaction of Cs(+) to FA is very weak as compared with Sr(2+). While the water-FA interaction is largely responsible for the weak binding of Cs(+) to FA, leading to the outer sphere complexation of the ion with FA, the interaction between Sr(2+) and FA is stronger and thus can surpass the existing secondary nonbonding interaction between coordinated waters and FA, leading to inner sphere complexation of the ion with FA. We also find that entropy plays a dominant role for Cs(+) binding to FA, whereas Sr(2+) binding is an enthalpy-driven process. Our predicted results are found to be in excellent agreement with the available experimental data on complexation of Cs(+) and Sr(2+) with SOM.

Gas phase reactions of uranyl with α-hydroxyisobutyric acid using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and density functional theory

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) technique was used to find out the type of species of uranyl with α-hydroxyisobutyric acid in positive and negative ion modes. It was found that the singly charged monomeric and doubly charged dimeric species were present in soft ionization conditions. The molecular level understanding on the structures and energetics were investigated using density functional theory based calculations. It was found that ML3, the most intense species observed in ESI-MS were energetically more favorable as compared to ML1 and ML2.

Speciation of uranium-mandelic acid complexes using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and density functional theory: Study of uranium-mandelic acid complexes using ESI-MS and DFT

RATIONALE Mandelic acid is a complexing agent employed for the liquid chromatographic separation of actinides. However, the types of species and the structural details of the uranyl-mandelate complexes are still unknown. Understanding the nature of these complex species would provide better insight into the mechanism of their separation in liquid chromatography. METHODS Formation of different species of the uranyl ion (UO2 ) with mandelic acid was studied using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) with a quadrupole time-of-flight analyzer. The different species of uranyl nitrate with mandelic acid (MA) at ligand (L) to metal ratios in the range 1-10 were examined in both positive and negative ion modes. The stability of different species with the possible pathways of formation was scrutinized using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. RESULTS In negative ion mode, nitrate-containing UO2 (MA)1 , UO2 (MA)2 and UO2 (MA)3 species were found in good abundance. In positive ion mode, under-coordinated uranyl-mandelate species, and solvated (S) species of types UO2 (MA)1 (S), UO2 (MA)1 (S)2 and UO2 (MA)2 (S), were observed whereas nitrate-containing species were absent. Interestingly, doubly and singly charged dimeric species were also identified in positive ion mode. The theoretically computed energetics of the various species are in close agreement with their experimentally observed intensities in ESI-MS. CONCLUSIONS The most intense peak observed in ESI-MS, UO2 (MA)3 , was found to be the energetically most favorable amongst different UO2 (MA)n type species. Metal-ligand equilibria studied in the two modes yielded similar results. The combined experimental and quantum chemical investigations predict that T-shape complexes may be formed even in the gas phase. Copyright