Preliminary Result from the Dissolution of Neodymium and Erbium Oxide in a Tributyl Phosphate Solvent

Abstract

This work demonstrated that visible absorbance spectroscopy can track the dissolution of neodymium and erbium oxide in an organic solution containing tributyl phosphate and nitrates. The formation of an aqueous phase was unexpected but an important phenomenon to consider when developing a metal oxide dissolution in organic solution flowsheet. Since the metal oxide appeared to completely dissolve into either the organic or newly formed aqueous phase, dissolution (extraction) rates should be easier to determine.

Technology Development Roadmap for Volatile Radionuclide Capture and Immobilization

“…A roadmap for advanced voloxidation is shown in Figure 3-5. Advanced voloxidation can simplify the plant design if it can evolve the volatile radionuclides to be captured in a single gas stream rather than multiple gas streams and enable direct dissolution of the recyclable actinides into the organic solvent rather than first into aqueous HNO 3 solution (Goode and Stacy 1978;Bresee et al 2012;Del Cul et al 2013;Rudisill et al 2019;Gogolski et al 2022;Greaney et al 2022b;Hall et al 2022;Moyer and Lumetta 2023;Soelberg et al 2023). Trade-offs and current unknowns with this process include:…”