Effect of Radiolysis in Altering the Physiochemical and Metal Retention Properties of Solvent-Diluent-Acid Systems

Abstract

Systematic studies were performed on radiolytic degradation of Tri-n-Butyl Phosphate diluted with n-Dodecane or Normal Paraffin Hydrocarbon in the presence/absence of nitric acid as a function of absorbed gamma dose. Viscosity and phase disengagement time increased with absorbed dose but interfacial tension decreased gradually. The extent of damage caused during radiolysis was estimated by Zr retention in the organic phase. The effectiveness of carbonate wash in restoring the quality of the solvent was evaluated. Comparison of the IR spectra for the neat and the degraded samples revealed the formation of nitro alkanes at absorbed dose above 20 MRad.

Keywords:

• tri-n-butyl phosphate
• extraction
• radiolysis
• zirconium retention
• solvent wash

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors wish to acknowledge their sincere thanks to Dr. K. Sivasubramanian, RSD for providing their gamma irradiation and FT-IR facility used in the present investigation.