N,N-dialkyl-2-hydroxyacetamides for modifier-free separation of trivalent actinides from nitric acid medium

The alkyl derivatives of N,N,-dialkyl-2-hydroxyacetamide (DAHyA), namely, N,N,-dihexyl-2-hydroxyacetamide (DHHyA), N,N,-dioctyl-2-hydroxyacetamide (DOHyA), N,N,-didecyl-2-hydroxyacetamide (DDHyA), were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopy. The extraction behaviour of Am(III) in a solution of DAHyA in n-dodecane was studied as a function of various parameters to evaluate the feasibility of using DAHyA for partitioning of trivalent actinides from high-level liquid waste (HLLW). The distribution ratio of Am(III) (D Am(III)) in 0.1 M DAHyA/n-DD increased from 10−4 to > 200 with increase in nitric acid concentration from 1 M to 6 M. A D Am(III) value 10–70 was obtained in a nitric acid concentration range from 3–4 M. The extraction of Am(III) in 0.1 M DAHyA/n-dodecane decreased in the order DHHyA > DOHyA > DDHyA. The third-phase formation behaviour of nitric acid and neodymium (III) in 0.2 M DAHyA/n-dodecane was studied. Near stoichiometric amount of neodymium (III) can be loaded in octyl and decyl derivatives without any third-phase formation from 3–4 M nitric acid medium. Unlike other extractants, the loaded trivalent metal ion in DAHyA can be recovered even with 1 M nitric acid. Therefore, the study revealed that N,N,-dialkyl-2-hydroxyacetamides are promising candidates for partitioning the trivalent actinides from HLLW.