A highly efficient extraction system for Am( III )–Cm( III ) pair separation in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing
Full article
| Journal |
Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers
ISSN: 2052-1553
, E-ISSN: 2052-1545
|
| Output data |
Year: 2026,
Volume: 13,
Pages: 555-563
Pages count
: 9
DOI:
10.1039/d5qi01560j
|
| Authors |
Petrov V.G.
1
,
Matveev P.I.
1
,
Nenajdenko V.G.
1
,
Ustynyuk Yu.A.
1
,
Gloriozov I.P.
1
,
Evsiunina M.V.
1
,
Lemport P.S.
1
,
Avagyan N.A.
1
,
Petrov V.S.
1
,
Krot A.D.
1
,
Kalle P.
2
,
Khrustalev V.N.
3,4
,
Goletskiy N.D.
5
,
Naumov A.A.
5
,
Kalmykov S.N.
1
|
| Affiliations |
| 1 |
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Chemistry, Leninskie gory 1 bld. 3, 119991 Moscow, Russia
|
| 2 |
N.S. Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky pr. 31, 119991 Moscow, Russia
|
| 3 |
N.D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky Prospekt 47, 119334 Moscow, Russia
|
| 4 |
Research Institute of Chemistry, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Miklukho-Maklaya Street 6, 117198 Moscow, Russia
|
| 5 |
V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, JSC, 2nd Murinsky Prospekt 28, 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
|
|
Funding (1)
|
1
|
N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry Russian Academy of Sciences
|
|
Closing the nuclear fuel cycle is a key objective in the development of Generation IV nuclear systems, enabling the recycling of actinides and reducing the long-term radiotoxicity of nuclear waste. Americium is a prime candidate for transmutation, but its effective use requires high-purity separation from chemically similar curium and lanthanides. In this work, we report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a novel extractant, 4,7-dicyano-N,N′-diethyl-N,N′-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamide (DAPhenCN), for selective separation of Am(III) from Cm(III). This extractant was selected for synthesis based on the DFT modeling results of the complexes of 4- and 7-disubstituted 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxamides with Am(III), Cm(III) and lanthanides(III). Solvent extraction experiments revealed Am/Cm separation factors (SFAm/Cm) of 5–6, with favorable distribution ratios for counter-current processing. Crucially, DAPhenCN demonstrated excellent resistance to hydrolysis and radiolysis under α-, γ-, and electron-beam irradiation. Counter-current tests using real raffinates from VVER-1000 spent nuclear fuel reprocessing confirmed the robustness and efficiency of the extraction system, achieving >99% americium recovery and >99.9% curium purity. Light lanthanides partially co-extracted with Am(III), while heavier ones had no significant impact. The developed process enables the production of curium-free americium suitable for transmutation fuel fabrication, advancing the implementation of closed nuclear fuel cycles.