Electrochemical and spectroscopic studies for decontaminating radioactive metal waste in molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

Abstract

This study investigates the electrochemical electrochemical and spectroscopic behaviors of the transition elements(Co, Ni, Fe, Cr) in the molten salt for the development of decontamination process of radioactive metallic waste by electrorefining. Voltammetric techniques combined with the simulation of the electrochemical measurements are adopted to obtain formal potential, standard rate constant, diffusion coefficients and reversibility of the electrode reactions of metallic constituents. Absorption spectra of the constituents are measured and their absorptivity are derived from the spectra, and spectroelectrochemical methods are performed to analyze the Cr(III)/Cr(II) electrode reactions. The binary system of Co-Ni was analyzed based on the obtained properties, revealing the ECE mechanisms. The results will be further applied to optimize the electrorefining process of radioactive metallic wastes.