Oxidation of americium in acidic solution

a technology of americium and acidic solution, which is applied in the direction of inorganic chemistry, process efficiency improvement, chemistry apparatus and processes, etc., can solve the problems of slow oxidation kinetics, low solubility, and ozone being not a suitable oxidant for oxidizing

Inactive Publication Date: 2015-11-26
TRIAD NAT SECURITY LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a process for oxidizing americium(III) to americium(VI) using a combination of ozone and silver ions in an aqueous acidic composition. This process can also be performed using cobalt and cerium ions. The invention also provides a process for separating americium(III) from a lanthanide using a combination of silver ions and ozone. A composition is also provided that includes a homogeneous mixture of silver ions, ozone, nitric acid, and water.

Problems solved by technology

A challenge with this approach involves identifying oxidants that are suitable for forming and stabilizing the Am(IV), Am(V), and / or Am(VI) long enough to perform the separation.
Drawbacks to using sodium bismuthate as an oxidant are its low solubility (it must be used as a slurry), and slow oxidation kinetics.
Although the oxidation of americium(III) to americium(VI) using ozone is thermodynamically favorable, in practice, it has been demonstrated that ozone is not a suitable oxidant for oxidizing Am(III) to Am(VI) in acidic solution.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0010]An embodiment process is provided for oxidizing Am(III) to Am(IV) in nitric acid that uses ozone in combination with silver ions. The ozone together with the silver ions provide a suitable combination for oxidizing americium(III) to americium (VI) in acidic solution.

[0011]An embodiment process is also provided for separating americium from a composition that includes americium along with other components such as, but not limited to, other actinides (curium, for example), and lanthanides. This embodiment process includes using silver ions and ozone to oxidize the americium(III) to americium(VI) in the composition followed by separating the americium(VI) from the other components.

[0012]The oxidation reactions described herein may be performed using aqueous mineral acid. Mineral acids include nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, perchloric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, and mixtures of these acids. In an embodiment, the oxidation of Am(III) to Am(IV) was demonstrated using nitr...

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Abstract

A process is for oxidizing americium(III) to americium(VI) includes providing a aqueous acidic composition comprising americium(III) and a mineral acid and exposing the composition to ozone and silver ion under conditions suitable for oxidation of the americium(III) to americium(VI). Nitric, acid is a suitable mineral acid for the process. Extraction of the americium from the silver is possible using organic phosphonate extractant.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM TO A RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 000,868 entitled “Oxidation of Americium in Acidic Solution,” filed May 20, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL RIGHTS[0002]This invention was made with government support under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The government has certain rights to in the invention.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates generally to actinide separation and more particularly to oxidation of americium in acidic solution to facilitate a separation of americium from other elements including but not limited to fission products and other actinides.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The presence of long-lived radioisotopes of americium (“Am”) and radio-decay of particular isotopes of Am (such as Am-241 to the long-lived Np-237 and Am-243 to Pu-239) contribute to the thermal loa...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C22B60/02C22B7/00
CPCC22B7/006C22B60/0295C22B7/007Y02P10/20
Inventor JARVINEN, GORDON S.SEAMAN, LANI A.RUNDE, WOLFGANGJARVINEN, GORDON D.
Owner TRIAD NAT SECURITY LLC
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