Selective Electrodeposition of Praseodymium from LiF-BeF<sub>2</sub>–PrF<sub>3</sub>–ThF<sub>4</sub> Melt: Overcoming Thorium Predominance
This study reports, for the first time, the reduction and extraction of praseodymium (Pr) from a thorium (Th)-containing molten salt. Due to lanthanide’s much lower electronegativity compared to thorium and beryllium, reducing and extracting Pr from a LiF-BeF2–PrF3–ThF4 molten salt is challenging. The electrochemical behaviors of Th and Pr are individually investigated in the LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) melt, revealing Be13Th or Be13Pr formation near the cathodic Be end. Electrodeposition experiments are conducted with different electrodes─Mo, Ni, and Al─in a quaternary LiF-BeF2–PrF3–ThF4 melt. Results indicate that Th preferentially deposits on Mo and Ni electrodes as Be13Th, while Pr deposits on the Al electrode as Al11Pr3. These findings provide critical insights for on-line pyro reprocessing in thorium-fueled molten salt reactor (TMSR) systems.
Authors
- Yong Zuo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2713-6501)
- Yu Gong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8847-1047)
- Wei Huang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1264-2110)
- Yuxiao Sun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8472-2582)
Institutions
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (CN)
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Shenyang University of Chemical Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS electrochemistry.
- Published
- 2025-04-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acselectrochem.5c00118
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Molten salt chemistry and electrochemical processes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.44
Funders
- Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai
- Science and Technology Department of Gansu Province
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Branch