Thermally Unstable Complexants: Stability of Lanthanide/Actinide Complexes, Thermal Instability of the Ligands, and Applications in Actinide Separations

Abstract

Water soluble complexing agents are commonly used in separations to enhance the selectivity of both ion exchange and solvent extraction processes. Applications of this type in the treatment of nuclear wastes using conventional complexing agents have found mixed success due to the nature of the complexants. In addition, the residual solutions containing these species have led to potentially serious complications in waste storage. To overcome some of the limitations of carboxylic acid and aminopolycarboxylate ligands, we have initiated a program to investigate the complexing ability, thermal/oxidative instability, and separation potential of a group of water soluble organophosphorus compounds which we call Thermally Unstable Complexants, or simply TUCS. Complexants of this type appear to be superior to conventional analogues in a number of respects. In this report, we will summarize our research to date on the actinide/lanthanide complexes with a series of substituted methanediphosphonic acids, the kinetics of their oxidative decomposition, and a few applications which have been developed for their use.