RADIOCHEMICAL STABILITY OF THE DICYCLOHEXANO-18-CROWN-6 ETHER (DCH18C6) - SYNTHESIS AND TESTS IN RADIOACTIVE MEDIUM OF THE DCH18C6 RADIOLYTIC PRODUCTS

The cis-syn-cis isomer of the dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 ether (DCH18C6) was subjected to hydrolysis and radiolysis with a Cs-137 gamma source , at different doses of irradiation. The cis-syn-cis DCH18C6 radiolyti c products previously identified [1], were synthesized in their differ ent configurations. These radiolytic products, all of cis configuratio n, were tested on aqueous synthetic solutions of spent nuclear fuels. Experiments in radioactive medium showed that, under continuous extrac tion conditions, the cis-syn-cis DCH18C6 radiolytic products cannot pe rturb a reprocessing process using the DCH18C6 as selective extractant . Good prospects for the application of DCH18C6 to spent nuclear fuel reprocessing were therefore demonstrated. An X-ray crystallographic st udy of the DCH18C6 cis-syn-cis-isomer with uranyl nitrate was investig ated.