Phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone as diluent in a grouped actinide extraction process: extraction properties of the solvent components TBP and CyMe4-BTBP

The grouped actinide extraction (GANEX) process combines two extractants CyMe4-BTBP and TBP in a diluent, in this study phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone (FS-13). The extraction of U-235, Np-239, Pu-238, Am-241, Cm-244 and Eu-152 has been investigated in four different systems. System 1: 70 %vol FS-13, 30 %vol TBP and 10 mM CyMe4-BTBP, system 2: 70 %vol FS-13 and 30 %vol TBP, system 3: 100 %vol FS-13 and 10 mM CyMe4-BTBP and system 4: pure FS-13. In all cases 4 M HNO3 was used as aqueous phase. In system 1 all actinides were extracted and separated from the lanthanides. In both system 2 and 3 mainly U and Pu were extracted. In system 4 none of the metals were extracted