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Chemistry

JRP 07-20

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Dr. Claire Le Naour

CNRS-Univ.Paris-Sud, Institut de Physique Nucléaire / Radiochimie/ Bât. 100/ 91406 Orsay cedex, France

Physico-chemical and redox properties of protactinium

Status

Ongoing

- Planned from October 2007 till April 2009

Goals

In view of the lack of data in the literature and taking into account the experience recently acquired in handling protactinium at Orsay and CEA Valrhô, the chemical properties of this actinide are planned to be studied at different concentrations of element (trace and weighable scale) and at different oxidation states, by using experimental and theoretical approaches.
After collecting information on Pa(V) in complexing media (formation constants, species structure) we aim at performing redox measurements on Pa(V)/Pa(IV) couple in order to deduce information on Pa(IV) chemistry and draw a comparison with other actinides at the oxidation state IV.
The spectroscopic investigation of Pa(V) species in solution and solid state will continue, involving Raman, IR and X-ray absorption spectroscopies coupled with quantum chemical calculations.

Expected results

Expected impact on applied issues in the field of nuclear fission energy

Although this project is mainly devoted to a fundamental aspect of protactinium chemistry in aqueous solution, it is part of the possible development of thorium fuel reactors leading to the presence of ²³¹Pa in nuclear waste. Collecting structural and thermodynamic data on protactinium can be used in modelling the behaviour of protactinium in the environment.

Expected impact on long term integration

After having collected enough experimental data on protactinium, contact with other research teams is expected to be facilitated in the frame of ACTINET in order to develop a theoretical approach and evaluate relativistic effects on the electronic structure of protactinium species. Moreover, these data can be integrated into thermodynamic data base devoted to actinides and fission products.