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Extraction of neptunium(VI) from nitric acid solution with di(1-methyl-heptyl) methyl phosphonate

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Abstract

The extraction behaviors of Np(VI) from nitric acid medium by di(1-methyl-heptyl) methyl phosphonate (DMHMP) diluted in kerosene has been investigated. The effective factors studied in this research included the contact time, the concentration of DMHMP, HNO3 as well as nitrate and the temperature. Slope analyses indicated that Np(VI) was coordinated in the form of neutral molecules and the extractant complex was NpO2(NO3)2·2DMHMP. Distribution coefficients increased with the increase of HNO3 concentration until up to 4.0 mol/L and then decreased. The value of enthalpy change for the reaction was negative which means that the extraction of Np(VI) was an exothermic process.

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Acknowledgements

We are most grateful to the China Institute of Atomic Energy for funding.

Funding

Funding was provided by China Institute of Atomic Energy (BK202212000103)

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  1. Department of Radiochemistry, China Institute of Atomic Energy, Xinzhen Street, P. O. Box 275 (26), Beijing, 102413, People’s Republic of China

    Zhe Xiao, Fengfeng Li, Yilin Wang, Ye Zhang, Ting Yu & Hui He

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  1. Zhe Xiao
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Xiao, Z., Li, F., Wang, Y. et al. Extraction of neptunium(VI) from nitric acid solution with di(1-methyl-heptyl) methyl phosphonate. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 331, 975–984 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08130-y

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