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2,4-Difluoro anisole: a promising complexing agent for boron isotopes separation by chemical exchange reaction and distillation

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Abstract

Although methods of boron isotopes separation were intensively pursued about 60 years, the chemical exchange distillation is the only method that has been applied in industrial scale production of 10B. The present anisole BF3 system suffers from the drawbacks like high melting point, relatively low separation coefficient and instability under reaction conditions, which demand a continuous search for more effective and efficient donors for boron isotope separation. A series of fluoro-substituted anisole derivatives were screened in this paper, among which 2,4-difluoro anisole exhibited good properties compared with anisole. Studies on the boron trifluoride and 2,4-difluoro anisole adduct, its thermodynamic and physical properties related to large-scale isotopic separation is reported. The results showed that 2,4-difluoro anisole is better than anisole in separation coefficient, freezing point and stability under pyrolysis conditions, which suggest a further detailed investigations on boron trifluoride and 2,4-difluoro anisole adduct.

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Acknowledgments

The research was funded by Shandong Zhongshan Group Co., Ltd. The author would sincerely acknowledge to the Central Laboratory of Nankai University for the detection of 10B/11B. Special thanks Tianjin-Qirui Pilot Base to provide experimental site.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

    Xiaoqin Wu, Peng Bai, Xianghai Guo & Nana He

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  1. Xiaoqin Wu
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  2. Peng Bai
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  3. Xianghai Guo
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  4. Nana He
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Correspondence to Peng Bai.

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Wu, X., Bai, P., Guo, X. et al. 2,4-Difluoro anisole: a promising complexing agent for boron isotopes separation by chemical exchange reaction and distillation. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 300, 897–902 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-013-2810-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-013-2810-6

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