Research progress of lithium isotope separation by chemical exchange method

doi:10.16085/j.issn.1000-6613.2017.01.004

Abstract

Abstract: Lithium isotopes(lithium-6 and lithium-7),as important raw materials required in the development of nuclear energy,play a great role in energy,environment,defense-national security,and other fields. The chemical exchange methods for lithium isotopes separation include amalgam exchange process,solvent extraction,chromatography and membrane method. The separation mechanisms,advantage and disadvantage of various lithium isotopes separation methods,have been systematically analyzed,classified and summarized in this paper. The results indicated that lithium isotope separation is related to the bond effect of complexing agent and lithium ionic in the chemical exchange separation system;and lithium amalgam exchange process will be replaced by other non-mercury separation systems due to environmental concerns. In addition,the lithium isotopes separation methods of using solvent extraction,ion exchange chromatographic and membrane are very promising,which all are relatively effective separation. Based on the summarization of the current research progresses,the future researches on the separation of lithium isotopes are highlighted,such as the design and synthetics of new chelating agent,the combination of different separation process and the separation mechanism in different experiment condition.

Key words: lithium isotope, chemical exchange, separation, extraction, mechanism

摘要： 锂同位素（⁶Li和⁷Li）是核能源开发所需要的重要原料，在能源、环境和国防安全等领域具有重要应用价值。本文从已报道的化学交换分离锂同位素方法中，对锂汞齐法、溶剂萃取法、离子色层交换法和膜法进行了系统的总结、归类和评述，详细分析了各种化学交换法的分离机理和特点。结果表明，化学交换法分离锂同位素的分离效应与体系中络合剂与锂离子键合作用相关，锂汞齐法会因环境问题将被其他无汞分离体系取代。此外，溶剂萃取法、离子色层交换法和膜法都具有较大的分离效应，均是非常有前景的锂同位素分离方法。最后，对锂同位素分离研究领域的未来方向提出了一些建议，如新型螯合剂设计合成，不同分离工艺的联用和不同实验条件下分离机理中尚待解决的理论问题。

关键词: 锂同位素, 化学交换, 分离, 萃取, 机理

CLC Number:

XIAO Jiang, JIA Yongzhong, SHI Chenglong, WANG Xingquan, YAO Ying, JING Yan. Research progress of lithium isotope separation by chemical exchange method[J]. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progree, 2017, 36(01): 29-39.

肖江, 贾永忠, 石成龙, 王兴权, 姚颖, 景燕. 化学交换法分离锂同位素研究进展[J]. 化工进展, 2017, 36(01): 29-39.

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