EXTRACTION OF URANIUM, PLUTONIUM AND SOME FISSION-PRODUCTS WITH GAMMA-IRRADIATED UNSYMMETRICAL AND BRANCHED-CHAIN DIALKYLAMIDES

The extraction behavior of uranium(VI), Plutonium (IV) and some fissio n products like zirconium, ruthenium and europium from 3.5M nitric aci d with gamma-irradiated dibutyl(DBEHA), di-isobutyl(DIBEHA), methylbut yl(MBEHA) derivatives of ethylhexylamide and diisobutyl octanamide(DIB OA) in n-dodecane has been investigated as a function of absorbed dose up to 184 Mrad. The results indicate that the Kd values for extractio n of uranium(VI) decreases gradually up to 45 Mrad and becomes almost constant beyond this dose up to 184 Mrad, while extraction of plutoniu m(IV) increases rapidly beyond a dose of 45 Mrad due to synergistic ef fect of the radiolytic products formed at higher doses. The extraction of zirconium(IV) increases gradually up to 45 Mrad and attains a limi ting value at higher doses. Ruthenium and europium are not extracted i n the entire dose range studied. Infrared studies confirm the final pr oducts of radiolysis as the respective amines and carboxylic acids. Ra diolytic degradation of the pure amides was determined by estimating t he residual amide contents using quantitative IR spectrometry and were found to follow the order DIBEHA > DBEHA > MBEHA > DIBOA.