JRP 06-19

Partners

FZK

CEA

UNIMAN

EC-JRC-ITU

Contact

Dr Clint A. Sharrad
Centre of Radiochemistry Reasearch, Chemistry Department The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL United Kingdom
Phone +44 161 275 1405
E-mail e-mail

Investigations of actinide cation-cation interactions by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Status

 
Terminated - Planned from May 2007 till May 2008

Goals

This project aims to investigate the structural characterisation of cationcation interactions of actinide species in solution. The initial phase of the project will examine cation-cation species of uranyl(V/VI) and neptunyl(V/VI) by XAFS (XANES and EXAFS) spectroscopy. Subsequent studies will explore the role of cation-cation interactions in the disproportionation mechanism of U(V) and Np(V) and the influence of other factors such as, for example, the presence of water and temperature. Particular focus will be made to the effect of neptunium cation-cation species in the industrially relevant PUREX process. Timeresolved EXAFS spectroscopy will be used to attempt to resolve structural aspects of the disproportionation mechanism. Heteronuclear actinide cation-cation species will then be investigated with particular attention paid to the comparisons in reactivity relative to the homonuclear analogues.

Expected results

It is envisaged that this work will progress to the investigation of plutonium cation-cation species.

Reports