Distribution of plutonium, americium, and several rare earth fission product elements between liquid cadmium and LiCl-KCl eutectic

Separation factors were measured that describe the partition between molten cadmium and molten LiCl-KCl eutectic of plutonium, americium, praseodymium, neodymium, cerium, lanthanum, gadolinium, dysprosium, and yttrium. The temperature range was 753-788 K, and the range of concentrations was that allowed by the sensitivity of the chemical analysis methods. Mean separation factors were derived for Am-Pu, Nd-Am, Nd-Pu, Nd-Pr, Gd-La, Dy-La, La-Ce, La-Nd, Y-La, and Y-Nd. Where previously published data were available, agreement was good. For convenience, the following series of separation factors relative to plutonium was derived by combining the measured separation factors: Pu, 1.00 (basis); Am, 1.54; Pr, 22.9; Nd, 23.4; Ce, 26; La, 70; Gd, 77; Dy, 270; Y, 3000. These data are used in calculating the distribution of the actinide and rare earth elements in the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent fuel from the Integral Fast Reactor.