OPTIMIZING THE COATING PROCESS OF ORGANIC ACTINIDE EXTRACTANTS ON MAGNETICALLY ASSISTED CHEMICAL-SEPARATION PARTICLES

The coatings of ferromagnetic-charcoal-polymer microparticles (1-25 mu m) with organic extractants specific for actinides were optimized for use in the magnetically assisted chemical separation (MACS) process. The organic extractants, octyl (phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylp hosphine oxide (CMPO) dissolved in tributyl phosphate (TBP), coated th e particles when a carrier organic solvent was evaporated. Coated part icles were heated in an oven overnight to drive off any remaining carr ier solvent and fix the extractants on the particles. Partitioning coe fficients for americium obtained with the coated particles routinely r eached 3000-4000 ml g(-1), approximately 10 times the separation effic iency observed with the conventional solvent extraction system using C MPO and TBP. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.