Fission-Product Separation Based on Room-Temperature Ionic-Liquids

Hussey, Charles L.

University of Mississippi, Jackson, MS

关键词: Oxygen;    Inert Atmosphere;    Electrodes;    Recycling;    Processing;   

DOI  :  10.2172/893347
RP-ID  :  EMSP-94987-2005
RP-ID  :  FG07-01ER63286
RP-ID  :  893347

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

During the previous funding cycle for this project, we investigated the electrochemistry of Cs(I) in air and moisture-stable ionic liquids both with and without the addition of BOBCalixC6. These investigations revealed that the electrochemical windows of the dialkylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ionic liquids do not permit the direct electrochemical reduction of Cs(I), even when Hg electrodes are employed, because these organic cations are reduced at less negative potentials than Cs(I). However, Cs(I) coordinated by BOBCalixC6 can be electrolytically reduced to Cs(Hg) in tetraalkylammonium-based room-temperature ionic liquids such as tri-1-butylmethylammonium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide (Bu3MeN+Tf2N-) at Hg electrodes. Because this reduction process does not harm either the ionic liquid or the macrocycle, it is a promising method for recycling the cesium extraction system. The previous studies mentioned above were carried out under an inert atmosphere, i.e., in the absence of H2O and O2. However, it may not be economically feasible or even possible to carry out the recycling process in the absence of these contaminants during large-scale processing of aqueous tank waste. Thus, as described in our proposal, we have begun an investigation of the electrochemical recovery of Cs from the Bu3MeN+Tf2N- + BOBCalixC6 extraction system in an air atmosphere containing various amounts of water and oxygen. Our recent preliminary results were very surprising because they indicated that the electrochemical extraction process is relatively insensitive to the presence of small amounts of moisture even when the moisture content of the ionic liquid approaches 1000 ppm. Furthermore, we have found that the ''wet'' ionic liquid can be easily dehydrated under reduced pressure or by sparging with dry nitrogen gas without the need for heat or any other specialized treatment.