Ut-Battelle, Inc.

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

Laetitia H Delmau

Chaitanya Kumar Narula

Terry Allen Todd

Bruce A Moyer

David Herbert Meikrantz

Peter V Bonnesen

Jack D Law

Ramesh R Bhave

Catherine L Riddle

Dean R Peterman

David W DePaoli

Richard A Bartsch

Melanie Moses DeBusk

Guillermo D DelCul

Mitchell R Greenhalgh

Richard D Tillotson

Derek Brigham

A method for extracting rare earth metals (e.g., lanthanides and/or actinides) from aqueous solution, the method comprising: (i) acidifying an aqueous solution containing said rare earth metals with sulfuric acid to result in an acidified aqueous solution containing 1-12 M concentration of sulfuric acid; and (ii) contacting the acidified aqueous solution with an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution comprising a rare earth extractant molecule dissolved in an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solvent to result in extraction of one or more of the rare earth metals into the aqueous hydrophobic solution, wherein the rare earth extractant molecule has the following structure: wherein R, R, R, and Rare independently selected from hydrocarbon groups containing 1-20 carbon atoms, provided that the total carbon atoms in R, R, R, and Ris at least 12; and Rand Rare independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms.

Lipophilic diglycolamide compounds for extraction of rare earth metals from aqueous solutions

A system and method for the extraction of americium from radioactive waste solutions. The method includes the transfer of highly oxidized americium from an acidic aqueous feed solution through an immobilized liquid membrane to an organic receiving solvent, for example tributyl phosphate. The immobilized liquid membrane includes porous support and separating layers loaded with tributyl phosphate. The extracted solution is subsequently stripped of americium and recycled at the immobilized liquid membrane as neat tributyl phosphate for the continuous extraction of americium. The sequestered americium can be used as a nuclear fuel, a nuclear fuel component or a radiation source, and the remaining constituent elements in the aqueous feed solution can be stored in glassified waste forms substantially free of americium.

Supported liquid inorganic membranes for nuclear waste separation

A mixed extractant solvent that includes at least one dialkyloxycalix[4]arenebenzocrown-6 compound, 4',4&#x2032;,(5&#x2032;)-di-(t-butyldicyclohexano)-18-crown-6, at least one modifier, and, optionally, a diluent. The dialkyloxycalix[4]arenebenzocrown-6 compound is 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(octyloxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(decyloxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(dodecyloxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(2-ethylhexyl-1-oxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(3,7-dimethyloctyl-1-oxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(4-butyloctyl-1-oxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, or combinations thereof. The modifier is a primary alcohol. A method of separating cesium and strontium from an aqueous feed is also disclosed, as are dialkyloxycalix[4]arenebenzocrown-6 compounds and an alcohol modifier.

Extractant compositions for co-extracting cesium and strontium, a method of separating cesium and strontium from an aqueous feed, and calixarene compounds

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Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Laetitia H Delmau