iScience
·
2024
·
IF 4.6
Yan Liu,Xiaojing Liu,Hui He,Tengfei Zhang,Xiang Chai
Fouling deposit on nuclear fuel cladding causes wick boiling and boron hideout, resulting in localized corrosion and power shift with great potential security and economic risks. Herein, a cost-effective time-saving adjustable reproduction method combining sol-gel with ceramic sintering is presented to enable wide coverage of fouling’s morphologies and microstructures. Based on fractal analysis, structurally self-similar fouling deposits from different reactors conform to proposed porosity-fractal dimension law under 3% relative error. Wick boiling and boron hideout numerical simulation based on fractal dimension is implemented to treat different morphologies and structures in a unified way. Cladding surface underneath fouling deposit has a maximum 9.243 K temperature increasement due to thermal resistance, and H 3 BO 3 is concentrated 11.274 times by mean of wick boiling, causing Li 2 B 4 O 7 precipitation under extreme conditions with low porosity and high heat flux. The insights in this study provide a precise approach for quantitative evaluation of localized corrosion and power shift.
研究领域:
核能工程
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材料科学
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热物理学
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产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
·
2025
·
IF 7.2
Xiaofang Yang,Xuan Zheng,Zhongyue Li,Mei Yang
The efficient capture of radioactive iodine during the process of reprocessing nuclear fuel is crucial for ensuring nuclear safety and environmental preservation. In this study, a simple vaporization technique was employed to incorporate nitrogen-containing imidazole (Im) molecules into three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs), resulting in the successful synthesis of a series of highly efficient iodine adsorbents designated as Im@COFs. Compared to the pristine materials, Im@COFs demonstrated significantly enhanced adsorption performance, particularly with an iodine capacity that increased up to 1.9 times and a methyl iodide capacity that increased up to 70 %. The elevated nitrogen content not only augmented the number of binding sites but also intensified the interaction between the adsorbent and iodine molecules, thereby markedly enhancing the adsorption capacity. This method provides a novel and effective approach to improve the efficiency of iodine capture in nuclear fuel reprocessing.
研究领域:
材料科学
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核能工程
·
环境科学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
CERAMICS INTERNATIONAL
·
2017
·
IF 2.986
Xiaojing Bai,Qihuang Deng,Yingjie Qiao,Nianxiang Qiu,Xianhu Zha,Jie Zhou,Kan Luo,Yuhong Zhou,Qing Huang,Shiyu Du
This article presents the theoretical predictions and experimental synthesis of the uranium-containing layered ternary carbides UAl 3 C 3 and U 2 Al 3 C 4 . The electronic structures and mechanical properties of UAl 3 C 3 and U 2 Al 3 C 4 have been investigated by first-principles computations. The chemical bonding characteristics of UAl 3 C 3 and U 2 Al 3 C 4 have been compared to those of nanolaminated ternary carbides and strong interactions have been found between uranium and carbon atoms. Furthermore, UAl 3 C 3 and U 2 Al 3 C 4 powders have been fabricated by the solid state reaction method and the crystal structures of UAl 3 C 3 and U 2 Al 3 C 4 have been determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Based on the present results, the layered ternary carbides UAl 3 C 3 and U 2 Al 3 C 4 may provide an expansion of the derivative MAX phase (layered compounds) family as well as a new option for nuclear fuels.
研究领域:
材料科学
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核能工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
·
2022
·
IF 9.136
Jia Zhou,Tian Lan,Tianchi Li,Qi Chen,Pu Bai,Fang Liu,Zhongwei Yuan,Weifang Zheng,Xiaolin Luo,Wenfu Yan,Taihong Yan
Spent fuel reprocessing is the main part of the closed recycling of nuclear fuel. The efficient capture of radioactive iodine in spent fuel reprocessing remains a major issue for the safe utilization of nuclear energy. To possibly substitute the silver-containing zeolites of high cost, copper-doped porous silica including microporous silicalite-1 zeolite (denoted as Cu-S-1) and mesoporous SBA-15 (denoted as Cu-SBA-15) different from those of copper-exchanged ones previously reported were investigated for iodine adsorption at moderate temperature. The influence of pore diameter on iodine adsorption was emphatically discussed. Because of the nanosized pore structure, Cu-S-1 and Cu-SBA-15 exhibited high iodine adsorption capacities of 501 mg g −1 and 59 mg g −1 , respectively. The iodine adsorption capacity of Cu-S-1 was higher than those of the silver-containing ones reported up to now. Moreover, it was revealed that the microporous structure was more beneficial to adsorb iodine than the mesoporous structure. These copper-doped silica zeolites provide the possibility for the application of iodine adsorption in practical post-processing conditions.
研究领域:
材料科学
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环境科学
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核能工程
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
·
2023
·
IF 1.6
Cheng Yu,Cai Tianpei,Feng Jing,Yu Wei,Yu Dongping,Zhou Yongzheng,Su Dongping,Gan Quan,Liang Banghong,Guo Zhimou
This study presents an efficient method for the sequential separation of lanthanides and uranium using a high-performance ion exchange chromatographic column. The used SCX column provides both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions for the retention and separation of lanthanides and uranyl. Dual gradient elution (pH and α-hydroxyisobutyric acid concentration) enables continuous elution of uranyl before and after the elution of all the lanthanides. The proposed single-column separation protocol was validated by the effective separation of simulated spent nuclear fuel, which can be used to measure burn-up rates.
研究领域:
化学
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核科学与技术
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
·
2025
·
IF 4.7
Qingrong Zhang,Yingcai Wang,Yuanping Jiang,Yuhui Liu,Yubo Shen,Zhibin Zhang,Yunhai Liu
Recycling waste salt in the dry reprocessing of nuclear fuel and reducing electric energy consumption in the electrorefining process are crucial steps toward addressing significant challenges in this field. The present study proposes a novel approach to purify waste salt by selectively adsorbing excessive fission products using 5A molecular sieves (5A), based on the principles of electrorefining, with the ultimate aim of achieving sustainable development in nuclear fuel. First, Lutetium (Lu)-Bi alloy was synthesized through constant potential electrolysis in the LiCl–KCl–LuCl3 melt, resulting in a 90.59% extraction rate of Lu(III) on the Bi electrode. Subsequently, following the electrolysis process, the waste salt underwent high-temperature adsorption with a 5A for purification. The results of the experiment indicate that the utilization of 5A for adsorption can lead to a remarkable removal efficiency of Lu, reaching an impressive rate of 99.70%. Consequently, when combined with electrolytic reduction, the overall extraction rate of Lu is significantly enhanced to a remarkable 99.98%. Finally, experiments on the coexistence of rare earth elements were conducted, revealing a significant removal rate for Y, Ho, Tm, Yb, and Lu. This study presents innovative solutions for effectively utilizing waste salt in the nuclear fuel cycle.
研究领域:
核化学与核燃料循环
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材料科学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
·
2025
·
IF 4.3
Chunhui Wu,Qingwei Ping,Xueru Sheng,Na Li,Bing Wang,Jian Zhang
During the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuel, radioactive iodine vapor—a hazardous substance threatening environmental safety and human health—is released in substantial quantities, creating an urgent need for adsorbents with high-efficiency iodine trapping capabilities. This study synthesizes BiOBr aggregates via hydrothermal method and loads them onto a three-dimensional (3D) porous aerogel, which is composed of crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (denoted as Bi@PVP/PVA). Compared with Bi@PVP and Bi@PVA, Bi@PVP/PVA shows significantly enhanced iodine adsorption performance: Bi@PVP/PVA-3, featuring a well-developed 3D porous network with optimized pore structure, achieves an exceptional iodine trapping capacity of 2482.2 mg/g at 85 °C, outperforming the single-polymer-supported counterparts. Characterizations confirm that crosslinking between PVP and PVA constructs a macroporous framework, which not only provides abundant sites for uniform loading of BiOBr aggregates but also facilitates iodine diffusion. Kinetic model analysis reveals the dual adsorption mechanism: the PVP/PVA porous network enables rapid trapping of iodine vapor, while chemical reactions between BiOBr and iodine ensure its firm immobilization. This synergistic effect of the carrier’s porous structure and the loaded BiOBr endows Bi@PVP/PVA aerogels with superior iodine treatment efficiency, highlighting their practical value in iodine capture during nuclear fuel reprocessing.
研究领域:
材料科学
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核工程
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环境科学
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化学工程
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
·
2021
·Vol. 28
·期 14
·17752-17762
·
IF 4.223
Xie Kangjun,Dong Zhen,Zhao Long
The decontamination of radioactive TcO 4 − from nuclear wastes is becoming increasingly crucial for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and environmental remediation. In this work, a series of ionic liquid–immobilized silica-based adsorbents (SVIL-Cn, n = 1, 4, 8) were newly synthesized using the radiation-induced grafting of 4-vinylbenzyl chloride onto silanized silica and subsequent functionalization with 1-methylimidazole, 1-butylimidazole, or 1-octylimidazole. The synthesis conditions such as the solvent, absorbed dose, and monomer concentration were investigated in detail, and the resulting adsorbents were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, SEM, and TGA. In batch experiments, the adsorbents exhibited a high ReO 4 − (a nonradioactive surrogate of TcO 4 − ) removal efficiency over a wide pH range (3 ~ 8), and SVIL-C1 showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 70.62 mg g −1 towards ReO 4 − . In addition, their adsorption performance barely changed after 800 kGy radiation. The column experiments for treating simulated radioactive wastewater showed that the SVIL-Cn adsorbents could selectively separate TcO 4 − /ReO 4 − from a variety of fission products, and they could be recycled four times with negligible capacity loss. Lastly, XPS and FT-IR analysis confirmed that the adsorption proceeded via an ion-exchange mechanism. The results showed that these adsorbents are suitable for the efficient removal of TcO 4 − /ReO 4 − from radioactive wastewater with complex compositions. Graphical abstract
研究领域:
核化学
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环境科学
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材料科学
✓ 已验证
DOI
PubMed
高影响因子
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
·
2025
·
IF 7.2
Constantin Muhire,Behery Realy,Xiyan Xu,Dagang Li,Niu Zhang,Dongxiang Zhang
In this work, a novel inorganic-organic Bi/La-C-oxide material for iodine vapor capture in conditions of high temperature, mostly encountered during the reprocessing of the spent nuclear fuel, was synthesized. Bi/La-C-oxide (Bi/La=1, 300 °C) was synthesized using a new approach that allowed the non-decarbonization of used fuels, which instead made a framework with the core of Bi/La oxide to form a hybrid material, which exhibited a fast iodine uptake with a capacity of 1339.64 mg·g −1 at 18 h and 1301.47 mg·g −1 after 26 h at 200 °C, respectively. Notably, Bi/La-C-oxide (Bi/La=1, 300 °C) owed the high iodine-adsorbing ability mainly from its structure made of tetragonal units of Bi 1.92 La 0.08 O 3 linked together with esters to form a polyesterified Bi/La-C-oxide framework. The thermal stability analysis of the materials before and after iodine capture showed high thermal stabilities, proving their ability to withstand real-field high-temperature conditions. ZnO was used to consolidate the iodine wastes to avoid post-sorption secondary pollution, and the iodine leaching rate was minimized to 1.143 × 10 −3 g·(m 2 ·day) −1 after 7 days of product consistency test-A.
研究领域:
核化学
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无机-有机杂化材料
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放射性废物管理
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环境修复
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材料科学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
·
2025
·Vol. 13
·期 6
·120317
·
IF 7.2
Yarui Li,Guangtao Zhang,Xiaoyuan Zhou,Qing Zou,Jiarui Chen,Yunyi Cui,Peng Lin,Jian Lin
Partitioning actinides from lanthanides is essential for the safe management of nuclear waste and the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy. Here, we report a crystallization-based strategy that leverages the metal-dependent hydrolysis of 3,6-bis-2-pyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (L1) to generate distinct coordination environments. Specifically, U(VI) hydrolysis produces ( E )-N′-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene) picolinohydrazide (L2), directing the formation of a robust tetranuclear uranyl complex with pentagonal bipyramidal geometry. In contrast, Ln(III) fails to crystallize under the same conditions, and Pd(II) forms crystalline products only under specific solvothermal conditions via L1 hydrolysis, which generates 2-pyridinecarboxylicacid, 2-(2-pyridinylcarbonyl)hydrazide (L3). Systematic evaluation of acidity, ligand stoichiometry, and crystallization kinetics revealed conditions under which U(VI) selectively crystallizes from simulated spent nuclear fuel streams containing 22 competing elements, affording crystalline products with purities up to 99.8 %. High separation factors (SFs) were achieved, with values of 985, 2813, 2536, 1786, 1612, and 6571 for U/Y, U/Ce, U/Pr, U/Eu, U/Gd, and U/Dy, respectively, while ReO 4 – , used as a surrogate for 99 TcO 4 – , exhibited an exceptional SF of 303905. This work demonstrates that crystallization can provide a simple, highly selective, and waste-minimizing pathway for uranium recovery, offering a promising new paradigm for actinide partitioning in spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.
研究领域:
核化学
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放射化学
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分离科学
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无机化学
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废物管理
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2024
·
IF 13.3
Qingrong Zhang,Yingcai Wang,Yuhui Liu,Qian Liu,Youqun Wang,Zhimin Dong,Xiaohong Cao,Zhibin Zhang,Yunhai Liu
In order to realize energy cost savings in waste salt recycling and electrolysis processes during the nuclear fuel cycle , this paper presents a novel approach for the purification of waste molten salt by employing molecular sieves to absorb excess fission products selectively. The method is founded on the principles of electrolytic refining to achieve sustainable development of reprocessing. In this study, a systematic investigation of the electrochemical reduction/oxidation processes of Y(III)/In(III) was performed on electrode, as well as the electrode reaction of Y(III) on an In electrode at 773 K. Constant-current electrolysis produced an extraction rate of 93.11 % for Y(III) on the In electrode. In order to improve the current efficiency, greatly save the processing cost, and realize the sustainable development of dry post-processing. Subsequently, the waste molten salt environment following electrolysis was simulated, and the fission product was effectively adsorbed utilizing 5A molecular sieves, resulting in a yttrium removal rate of up to 99.94 %. This process not only significantly reduces the cost of electrolysis but also enhances the removal efficiency of target nuclides. The study examined the molten salt adsorption mechanism of molecular sieve, determining the primary adsorption mechanism to be chemical one (ion exchange), through the application of pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Weber-Morris kinetic models for re-evaluation.
研究领域:
核工程
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化学工程
·
材料科学
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环境科学
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
ACS ES&T Water
·
2025
·
IF 4.3
Peijie Sun,Xingchen Yang,Lejin Xu
During the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, mixed organic solvents of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and n-decane (DD) after extraction may encounter treatment difficulties. This study synthesized nanoscale alanine-modified zerovalent iron (Ala@Fe0) as a Fenton-like catalyst. Various characterization techniques were employed to analyze the surface morphology, structure, and properties of Ala@Fe0. The results showed that alanine was successfully grafted onto Fe0, increasing the Fe(0) content and enhancing the specific surface area and surface hydrophobicity. The catalytic performance of Ala@Fe0 in degradable organic solvents was evaluated. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the oxidation efficiency could exceed 60%, and the volume reduction rate of organic solvents could exceed 95%. Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis indicated that the active oxygen species in the Ala@Fe0–H2O2 system were mainly hydroxyl radicals (·OH). The interaction mechanism was analyzed by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and interaction region indicator (IRI) isosurface maps. The proposed catalytic degradation mechanism indicated that Ala@Fe0 could avoid oil-phase encapsulation and undergo Fenton reactions through two possible interface mechanisms to oxidize TBP and DD. This study provides a theoretical basis for the modification of iron-based materials and their application in treating organic solvents derived from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing.
研究领域:
环境化学
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核工程
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纳米技术
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催化
·
材料科学
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）