THE PHASE TRANSPORT AND REACTIONS OF γ-IRRADIATED AQUEOUS-IONIC LIQUIDS

摘要

A novel technology based on the transfer of chemical species across water/ionic liquid interfaces via specific complexation reactions is currently being considered for the separation and sequestration of metal ion contaminants from radioactive waste effluents in the nuclear fuel cycle. An ideal solvent for these applications should have a high intrinsic selectivity for a targeted metal or group of metals (e.g., trans-Pu actinides, lanthanides, or other fission products), an efficient switching mechanism (between complexation and decomplexation), and a high immiscibility with aqueous solutions. These characteristics must be maintained in the chemical, radiation, and mass transport environments present during the separation process. Ionic liquids (ILs) have an almost negligible vapour pressure and high thermal stability. Their ability to dissolve a wide range of substrate molecules and potential to be highly resilient in radiation fields make ILs particularly promising media. The separation efficiency of the biphasic system will depend on many parameters, including the aqueous oxidation state of the targeted metal ion, and the thermodynamics and kinetics of interfacial transport and metal-ligand complex formation at the water/IL interface or in the IL phase. The most uncertain and unstudied area for these applications is the effect of ionizing radiation on the stability and separation efficiency of the biphasic system. The present study investigates the effect of γ-radiation on gas/IL and water/IL interfacial stability and mass transfer with trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)imide, a phosphonium-based IL. The IL, in contact with either gas or water, was irradiated at a dose rate of 6.4 kGy·h~(-1). Gas-phase samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the changes in the IL and aqueous phases were monitored by conductivity measurements and Raman spectroscopy. In this paper we discuss these observations and their potential implications for nuclear waste stream separation processes.