Complexation and Extraction Behavior of Actinides
Summary
Actinides are a series of heavy elements characterised by multiple accessible oxidation states and a strong propensity to form coordination complexes with organic and inorganic ligands. Mastery of their complexation and solvent‐extraction behaviour is crucial for nuclear fuel reprocessing, radioactive waste management and environmental remediation. Extraction systems typically employ organophosphorus compounds, amide-based ligands or macrocyclic chelators that exploit selective donor–acceptor interactions, redox tuning and steric design to achieve high distribution ratios and rapid phase disengagement. Thermodynamic stability, kinetic lability and radiolytic resistance are balanced through ligand architecture, while computational modelling guides ligand synthesis by predicting coordination geometries and binding affinities. Improved understanding of speciation in mixed aqueous–organic systems has underpinned recent innovations in separating uranium, plutonium and minor actinides from complex waste streams, contributing to closed‐cycle fuel strategies and minimising long-lived radiotoxic inventories.
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Complexation and Extraction Behavior of Actinides publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in complexation and extraction behavior of actinides across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Actinides: The 15 elements from actinium to lawrencium, characterised by 5f electrons and multiple oxidation states.
Complexation: The formation of coordination compounds in which a central metal ion binds to surrounding ligands.
Solvent extraction: A separation technique wherein solutes transfer between immiscible aqueous and organic phases under selective ligand binding.
Chelating ligand: A multidentate molecule that binds a metal centre through two or more donor atoms to form a ring‐structured complex.
Hard and Soft Acids and Bases (HSAB) theory: A conceptual framework classifying metals and ligands by polarisation and size to predict affinity and selectivity.
References
- Advances in Heavy Metal Extraction Using Organophosphorus Compounds: A Comprehensive Review. Metals (2025).
- Determination of the Characteristics of the Molecular Structure of Trialkyl Phosphates by the Joint Application of Electronic Ionization Mass Spectra with Registration of Positive Ions and Negative Ions of Resonance Coupling. Journal of NBC Protection Corps (2021).
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