Ut-battelle, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation

Commodore Separation Technologies, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

U.t. Battlle, LLC

Peter V Bonnesen

Bruce A Moyer

Gilbert Morris Brown

Kunlun Hong

Richard A Sachleben

Jun Yang

R Bruce Robinson

Thomas George Thundat

Terry Allen Todd

David Herbert Meikrantz

Spiro D Alexandratos

Adam Justin Rondinone

Srinivas Kilambi

Jack D Law

Catherine L Riddle

Dean R Peterman

Richard A Bartsch

Baohua Gu

Lal A Pinnaduwage

Laetitia H Delmau

Dale K Hensley

Richard D Tillotson

Vassil I Boiadjiev

Mitchell R Greenhalgh

Yang Song

Derek J Presley

C Kevin Chambliss

Tamara J Keever

Gudrun Goretzki

Rui Peng

Methods for synthesizing deuterated vinylpyridine compounds of the Formula (1), wherein the method includes: (i) deuterating an acyl pyridine of the Formula (2) in the presence of a metal catalyst and DO, wherein the metal catalyst is active for hydrogen exchange in water, to produce a deuterated acyl compound of Formula (3); (ii) reducing the compound of Formula (3) with a deuterated reducing agent to convert the acyl group to an alcohol group, and (iii) dehydrating the compound produced in step (ii) with a dehydrating agent to afford the vinylpyridine compound of Formula (1). The resulting deuterated vinylpyridine compounds are also described.

Methods for the synthesis of deuterated vinyl pyridine monomers

A method for synthesizing a deuterated acrylate of the Formula (1), the method comprising: (i) deuterating a propiolate compound of Formula (2) to a methyne-deuterated propiolate compound of Formula (3) in the presence of a base and DO: and (ii) reductively deuterating the methyne-deuterated propiolate compound of Formula (3) in a reaction solvent in the presence of deuterium gas and a palladium-containing catalyst to afford the deuterated acrylate of the Formula (1). The resulting deuterated acrylate compounds, derivatives thereof, and polymers derived therefrom are also described.

Methods for the synthesis of deuterated acrylate salts

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

Highly sensitive sensor platforms for the detection of specific reagents, such as chromate, gasoline and biological species, using microcantilevers and other microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) whose surfaces have been modified with photochemically attached organic monolayers, such as self-assembled monolayers (SAM), or gold-thiol surface linkage are taught. The microcantilever sensors use photochemical hydrosilylation to modify silicon surfaces and gold-thiol chemistry to modify metallic surfaces thereby enabling individual microcantilevers in multicantilever array chips to be modified separately. Terminal vinyl substituted hydrocarbons with a variety of molecular recognition sites can be attached to the surface of silicon via the photochemical hydrosilylation process. By focusing the activating UV light sequentially on selected silicon or silicon nitride hydrogen terminated surfaces and soaking or spotting selected metallic surfaces with organic thiols, sulfides, or disulfides, the microcantilevers are functionalized. The device and photochemical method are intended to be integrated into systems for detecting specific agents including chromate groundwater contamination, gasoline, and biological species.

Method of making gold thiolate and photochemically functionalized microcantilevers

Fluoro-alcohol phase modifiers and process for cesium solvent extraction

A method for regenerating strong-base anion exchange resins utilizing a sequential chemical displacement technique with new regenerant formulation. The new first regenerant solution is composed of a mixture of ferric chloride, a water-miscible organic solvent, hydrochloric acid, and water in which tetrachloroferrate anion is formed and used to displace the target anions on the resin. The second regenerant is composed of a dilute hydrochloric acid and is used to decompose tetrachloroferrate and elute ferric ions, thereby regenerating the resin. Alternative chemical displacement methods include: (1) displacement of target anions with fluoroborate followed by nitrate or salicylate and (2) displacement of target anions with salicylate followed by dilute hydrochloric acid. The methodology offers an improved regeneration efficiency, recovery, and waste minimization over the conventional displacement technique using sodium chloride (or a brine) or alkali metal hydroxide.

Regeneration of strong-base anion-exchange resins by sequential chemical displacement

Hydroxide values and associated alkali metal may be recovered from alkaline aqueous solutions using classes of fluorinated alcohols in a water immiscible solvent. The alcohols are characterized by fluorine substituents which are proximal to the acidic alcohol protons and are located to adjust the acidity of the extractant and the solubility of the extractant in the solvent. A method for stripping the extractant and solvent to regenerate the extractant and purified aqueous hydroxide solution is described.

Solvent and process for recovery of hydroxide from aqueous mixtures

A solvent composition and corresponding method for extracting cesium (Cs) from aqueous neutral and alkaline solutions containing Cs and perhaps other competing metal ions is described. The method entails contacting an aqueous Cs-containing solution with a solvent consisting of a specific class of lipophilic calix&lsqb;4&rsqb;arene-crown ether extractants dissolved in a hydrocarbon-based diluent containing a specific class of alkyl-aromatic ether alcohols as modifiers. The cesium values are subsequently recovered from the extractant, and the solvent subsequently recycled, by contacting the Cs-containing organic solution with an aqueous stripping solution. This combined extraction and stripping method is especially useful as a process for removal of the radionuclide cesium-137 from highly alkaline waste solutions which are also very concentrated in sodium and potassium. No pre-treatment of the waste solution is necessary, and the cesium can be recovered using a safe and inexpensive stripping process using water, dilute (millimolar) acid solutions, or dilute (millimolar) salt solutions. An important application for this invention would be treatment of alkaline nuclear tank wastes. Alternatively, the invention could be applied to decontamination of acidic reprocessing wastes containing cesium-137.

Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions

The present invention comprises a supported liquid membrane carrier liquid with a dielectric constant between approximately 20 and 32, more particularly between 22 and 28, and preferably about 24, and the use of that carrier liquid in a supported liquid membrane device to extract one or more chemical species from a feed liquid. The invention further comprises such a device where a temperature gradient is maintained between any of the feed, carrier, or strip liquids. In another embodiment of the invention, any of the feed, carrier, or strip liquids are conditioned, for example, by passing the liquids through a purifier, or replacing lost carrier liquid. In another embodiment of the invention, two or more devices are connected in series or parallel.

Supported liquid membrane separation

Disclosed herein are a class of anion exchange resins containing two different exchange sites with improved selectivity and sorptive capability for chemical species in solution, such as heptavalent technetium (as pertechnetate anion, TcO.sub.4.sup.-). The resins are prepared by first reacting haloalkylated crosslinked copolymer beads with a large tertiary amine in a solvent in which the resin beads can swell, followed by reaction with a second, smaller, tertiary amine to more fully complete the functionalization of the resin. The resins have enhanced selectivity, capacity, and exchange kinetics.

Bifunctional anion-exchange resins with improved selectivity and

A process for extracting technetium values from an aqueous alkaline solution containing at least one alkali metal hydroxide and at least one alkali metal nitrate, the at least one alkali metal nitrate having a concentration of from about 0.1 to 6 molar. The solution is contacted with a solvent consisting of a crown ether in a diluent for a period of time sufficient to selectively extract the technetium values from the aqueous alkaline solution. The solvent containing the technetium values is separated from the aqueous alkaline solution and the technetium values are stripped from the solvent.

Process for extracting technetium from alkaline solutions

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Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Peter V Bonnesen