Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 September 2012
Various ion exchange materials have been proposed for the removal of Cs fromhigh level waste streams produced during the reprocessing of fuel rods. Cscan be released from loaded traditional exchange resins by elution and thenthe resin can be reused. However large quantities of secondary wastes aregenerated. Another class of “single use” exchangers is directly incorporatedin the loaded state into a solid waste form (e.g. borosilicate glass logs).A third alternative is electroactive ion-exchange materials, where theuptake and elution of Cs are controlled by an applied potential. Thisapproach has several advantages over traditional reusable ion-exchangeresins including much reduced secondary waste, higher Cs selectivity, andhigher durability.
XAS experiments were conducted at the Fe K-edge and Cs Lm-edge ona series of electrochemically produced nickel ferrocyanide films todetermine the effects of deposition conditions and subsequent alkaliexchange on structural and chemical aspects of the films. The depositionconditions include methods described in the literature and PNNL proprietaryprocedures. Although the performance and the durability of the films do varywith processing conditions, Fe K-edge EXAFS results indicate that alldeposition conditions result in the. formation of the cubic phase. Initialresults from Cs Lm-edge EXAFS analysis suggest that the Cs ion ispresent as a hydrated species.