Insight into Plutonium Intermediate Compounds Relevant to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: Ionothermal Fluorination and Aging Study

The work presented herein pertains to: (1) the ionothermal synthesis of actinide fluorides utilizing 1-butyl-3-methylimidizaolium hexafluorophosphate, [Bmim][PF6], as the sole solvent and fluorinating agent. This method is unique in that most ionic liquid crystallization methods require a co-solvent to increase the solubility of the ionic liquid and the dissolution of the solute. This approach was used to fluorinate uranium(IV) and plutonium(IV) oxides, oxalates, and Pu(IV) nitrate to produce new powders and single crystals; and (2) the degradation pathway of plutonium oxalates when subjected to alpha-self-radiolysis under ambient laboratory conditions.