| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
Materials Science & Technology 2012
|
| Symposium
|
Materials Issues in Nuclear Waste Management in the 21st Century
|
| Presentation Title |
Electrochemical and Thermal Properties of Rare-Earth Chlorides in Molten LiCl-KCl for Nuclear Waste Separation |
| Author(s) |
Jacob C Sager, Sean Martin, Mehran Mohammadian, Luke Olson, Kumar Sridharan, Todd Allen |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jacob C Sager |
| Abstract Scope |
Molten LiCl-KCl eutectic salt is used in pyrochemical processing as a medium for separation of uranium and radioactive nuclides from spent nuclear fuel. The electrochemistry of LiCl-KCl salts was investigated with incremental additions of LaCl3, CeCl3, NdCl3, DyCl3, and NaCl up to concentrations of 10wt%. Using cyclic voltammetry, anodic stripping voltammetry, and chronopotentiometry, various concentration-dependent effects have been determined. The diffusion coefficients were determined to vary approximately with the inverse of concentration, and a method for quantification of rare earth elements in the salt has been developed. The melting points of LiCl-KCl with additions of the rare-earth chlorides was also studied using differential scanning calorimtery, and phase diagrams were constructed. Additionally, changes in the density of the salt was measured with additions of the rare earths, whch has rmifications iin proliferation resistance. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |