Electrochemical oxidation of ²⁴³Am(III) in nitric acid by a terpyridyl-derivatized electrode

Selective oxidation of trivalent americium (Am) could facilitate its separation from lanthanides in nuclear waste streams. Here, we report the application of a high-surface-area, tin-doped indium oxide electrode surface-derivatized with a terpyridine ligand to the oxidation of Am(III) to Am(V) and A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2015-11, Vol.350 (6261), p.652-655
Main Authors: Dares, Christopher J., Lapides, Alexander M., Mincher, Bruce J., Meyer, Thomas J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Americium
americium, electrochemistry, minor actinides, oxidation
Electrodes
Lanthanides
Ligands
Nitric acid
NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
Nuclear fuels
Nuclear waste
Organic Chemistry
Oxidation
Radioactive wastes
Separation
Streams
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Summary:Selective oxidation of trivalent americium (Am) could facilitate its separation from lanthanides in nuclear waste streams. Here, we report the application of a high-surface-area, tin-doped indium oxide electrode surface-derivatized with a terpyridine ligand to the oxidation of Am(III) to Am(V) and Am(VI) in nitric acid. Potentials as low as 1.8 volts (V) versus the saturated calomel electrode were applied, 0.7 V lower than the 2.6 V potential for one-electron oxidation of Am(III) to Am(IV) in 1 molar acid. This simple electrochemical procedure provides a method to access the higher oxidation states of Am in noncomplexing media for the study of the associated coordination chemistry and, more important, for more efficient separation protocols.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.aac9217