Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2013, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (02): 418-422.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201211215

• PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND RADIATION CHEMISTRY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Influence of Atmosphere on the Radiolysis Products of BPC6 under γ-Irradiation

AO Yin-Yong1,2, WANG Qian1, PENG Jing2, HUANG Wei1, ZHAI Mao-Lin2, LONG Xing-Gui1   

  1. 1 Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900, Sichuan Province, P. R. China;
    2 Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
  • Received:2012-09-25 Revised:2012-11-20 Published:2013-01-14
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (91126014, 11079007, 21073008) and Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education, China (20100001110021).

Abstract:

Bis(2-propyloxy)calix[4]crown-6 (BPC6) is an effective separation agent for the removal of cesium from high-level liquid wastes, because of its high selectivity and coordination capacity toward cesium ions. BPC6 will be exposed to ionizing radiation generated by radionuclides during the treatment of high-level liquid nuclear wastes, so it is necessary to investigate the radiolysis mechanism of BPC6 under γ-irradiation conditions. In this work, the radiolysis products including the gaseous and solid products of BPC6 solid were systematically assessed using gas chromatography (GC), micro Fourier transform infrared (Micro-FTIR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The radiolysis ratio for BPC6 in an O2 atmosphere (approximately 10.4%) was significantly higher than that in an N2 atmosphere (approximately 2.5%). The main radiolytic gas products of BPC6 under O2 were H2, CH4, CO, and CO2, while those under N2 were H2, CH4, CO, CO2, C2H4, C2H6, C3H6, and C3H8. Finally, a mechanism for the radiolysis of BPC6 under different atmospheres was suggested, in terms of the gas and solid radiolytic products. This work will be of significant help in understanding the degradation mechanism of the BPC6 extraction system.

Key words: BPC6, Cs+ extractant, γ-Radiation, Radiolytic product, Gas chromatography analysis