X-ray absorption study of molten yttrium trihalides

Advanced design of a x-ray absorption spectroscopy setup for measuring transition metals speciation in molten carbonates, hydroxides and hydrogenosulfates

Battery recycling is currently becoming a crucial issue. One possible treatment path involves the use of molten salts. A mechanistic understanding of the underlying processes requires being able to analyze in situ speciation in molten salts at various temperatures. This can be advantageously achieved using x-ray absorption spectroscopy, the use of Quick-EXAFS facilities being particularly appropriate. Consequently, this paper presents the design and development of a new setup allowing carrying out Quick-EXAFS experiments in oxidizing molten salts at high temperatures. We describe the different components of a cell and the performance of the heating device. We illustrate the capabilities of the setup by analyzing the temperature evolution of Co speciation upon dissolution of LiCoO₂, a typical battery electrode material, in molten carbonates, hydroxides, and hydrogenosulphates.

In situ high-temperature EXAFS measurements on radioactive and air-sensitive molten salt materials

The development at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft, The Netherlands) of an experimental set-up dedicated to high-temperature in situ EXAFS measurements of radioactive, air-sensitive and corrosive fluoride salts is reported. A detailed description of the sample containment cell, of the furnace design, and of the measurement geometry allowing simultaneous transmission and fluorescence measurements is given herein. The performance of the equipment is tested with the room-temperature measurement of thorium tetrafluoride, and the Th-F and Th-Th bond distances obtained by fitting of the EXAFS data are compared with the ones extracted from a refinement of neutron diffraction data collected at the PEARL beamline at TU Delft. The adequacy of the sample confinement is checked with a mapping of the thorium concentration profile of molten salt material. Finally, a few selected salt mixtures (LiF:ThF₄) = (0.9:0.1), (0.75:0.25), (0.5:0.5) and (NaF:ThF₄) = (0.67:0.33), (0.5:0.5) are measured in the molten state. Qualitative trends along the series are discussed, and the experimental data for the (LiF:ThF₄) = (0.5:0.5) composition are compared with the EXAFS spectrum generated from molecular dynamics simulations.

Mechanism of Cs Removal from Fukushima Weathered Biotite by Heat Treatment with a NaCl-CaCl2 Mixed Salt

An in situ extended X-ray absorption fine structure (in situ EXAFS) spectroscopic analysis at high temperature was conducted to investigate the mechanism of Cs removal from weathered biotite (WB) from Fukushima, induced by heating with a mixed salt of NaCl and CaCl₂. This indicated that most Cs remained in WB during heating at 200-700 °C. In addition, the in situ EXAFS spectra gradually changed on heating with the mixed salt and a completely different spectrum was observed for the sample after cooling from 700 °C to room temperature (RT). Ex situ EXAFS measurements and X-ray fluorescence analyses were also conducted on samples after heat treatment and removal of the mixed salt to clarify the temperature dependence of the Cs removal ratio. On the basis of the results of radial structure function analysis obtained from in situ EXAFS, we concluded that almost all of the Cs was removed from WB by heating at 700 °C with the mixed salt, and that Cs formed Cs-Cl bonds after cooling to RT from 700 °C. In contrast, although more than half of the Cs present was removed from WB by heat treatment at 500 °C, most Cs was surrounded by silica tetrahedrons, maintained by Cs-O bonds. On the basis of these results, different Cs removal processes are suggested for the high-temperature (600-700 °C) and low-temperature (400-500 °C) regions.

Uranium Oligomerization in Chloride-Based High Temperature Melts: In Situ XAS Studies

In situ EXAFS spectroscopic studies of uranium compounds in high temperature alkali chloride melts indicate the presence of oligomeric species. An investigation into UCl(3) and UCl(4) dissolved in LiCl reveals long range ordering of uranium atoms in the molten state which is not maintained on quenching. Studies of uranium dioxide dissolved in LiCl-KCl eutectic with HCl exhibit long range ordering in both molten and quenched states, and the EXAFS data can be modeled using multiple coordination shells.