William L. Kubic

A thermodynamic model of plutonium (IV) nitrate solutions

Plutonium nitrate solutions contain a large number of chemical species and they exhibit significant deviations from ideal behavior. Modeling this system is challenging. A model that includes all known chemical species and accounts for nonideal solution behavior could contain several hundred unknown parameters, but insufficient published data exists for evaluating large numbers of parameters. A practical model of plutonium nitrate solutions, therefore, must be a compromise between the number of chemical species included and the number of parameters that can be evaluated from available data. A practical model of acidic plutonium nitrate was developed. The model, which was based on an extended UNIQUAC–Debye–Hückel equation, captures the essential behavior of the system with a minimum number of chemical species. It is capable of representing the vapor–liquid equilibrium data for the nitric acid–water system, the activity of water in the plutonium nitrate-nitric acid–water system, the distribution of plutonium–nitrate complexes in aqueous nitric acid solution, and plutonium adsorption on an anion exchange resin.

Synthesis of Acetone‐Derived C6, C9, and C12 Carbon Scaffolds for Chemical and Fuel Applications

A simple, inexpensive catalyst system (Amberlyst 15 and Ni/SiO2 -Al2 O3 ) is described for the upgrading of acetone to a range of chemicals and potential fuels. Stepwise hydrodeoxygenation of the produced ketones can yield branched alcohols, alkenes, and alkanes. An analysis of these products is provided, which demonstrates that this approach can provide a product profile of valuable bioproducts and potential biofuels.