Dissolution Extraction of Uranium Oxides and Cerium Oxide with TBP-HNO3 Complex in Supercritical CO2

Dissolution extraction of uranium oxides, CeO2 and (U, Ce)O2 solid solution with TBP-HNO3 complex in supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) was investigated. It is difficult to dissolve and extract directly UO2 pellets and CeO2 with TBP-HNO3 complex in SC-CO2. After UO2 pellets spontaneously turns into U3O8 powders under O2 flow and 600 °C, the extraction efficiency can reach more than 98%. For dissolution extraction of (U, Ce)O2 solid solution with TBP-HNO3 complex in SC-CO2 under 60 and 20 MPa, the extraction efficiency of U and Ce is 98.61% and 98.1% respectively.