Investigating the impacts of used nuclear fuel direct dissolution on the radiolytic longevity of solvent and butyramide extractants

Removing the nitric acid (HNO3) dissolution step in used nuclear fuel (UNF) reprocessing would reduce the volume of radioactive waste streams generated, thereby, improving process efficiency. A promising strategy for this is the direct dissolution of UNF that has been pretreated by voloxidation into an organic solvent composed of specialized extractants and diluent. However, removal of the aqueous HNO3 phase from the envisioned reprocessing system has the potential to drastically change the suite of radiation-induced processes occurring, and thus, alter the longevity of proposed reagents. Furthermore, the impacts of fission product and transuranic metal ion complexation on the aforementioned radiation-induced processes is poorly understood, and yet can cause significant changes in radiolytic longevity. To bridge these knowledge gaps and support the continued development of direct dissolution strategies, we present an investigation into the impacts of direct dissolution conditions on the gamma radiation-induced degradation of N,N-di-(2-ethylhexyl) butyramide (DEHBA) and N,N-di-(2-ethylhexyl)isobutyramide (DEHiBA) ligands—candidate replacements for tributyl phosphate—in pre-equilibrated n-dodecane solvent in the presence and absence of envisioned loading amounts of uranium.