Energy created by nuclear fission is efficient and effective in its breadth of energy output. However, the concerns for the disposal of radioactive byproducts are paramount in the public perception of its use as a modern day alternative energy resource. These byproducts are what compose Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF), which is, in part, a slurry of lanthanide and radioactive actinide metals. The mixture of these elements is only a fraction of a percent of the overall composition of the waste; there remains a significant amount of usable fuel as well as other metals that can be repurposed. Ideally, the use of ligands with soft donor atoms can be used to bind to the actinide ions and selectively extract these metals from the waste slurry. To this end, our group has synthesized an aromatic phosphine compound, diphenyl(2-thienyl)phosphine, using Grignard chemistry. Further oxidation of the phosphorous atom to the phosphine oxide, sulfide and selenide has been pursued in order to complex this ligand with lanthanide ions, thorium and the uranyl ion. We will also determine the extraction efficiencies of this ligand using standard techniques and conditions. Work toward oxidizing the sulfur atom of the thienyl ring will also be presented.

Phosphine ligands for the extraction of <i>f</i>-block elements: Use in nuclear waste remediation

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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Phosphine ligands for the extraction of f-block elements: Use in nuclear waste remediation