New trends in the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Separation of minor actinides by solvent extraction

Abstract

Recycling of actinides from spent nuclear fuel by their selective separation followed by transmutation in fast reactors will optimize the use of natural uranium resources and minimize the long-term hazard from high-level nuclear waste. This paper describes solvent extraction processes recently developed, aimed at the separation of americium from lanthanide fission products as well as from curium present in the waste. Depicted are novel poly-N-heterocyclic ligands used as selective extractants of actinide ions from nitric acid solutions or as actinide-selective hydrophilic stripping agents.