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Quantifying Dimer and Trimer Formation by Tri-n-butyl Phosphates in n-Dodecane: Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Quynh N Vo1, Liem X Dang2, Mikael Nilsson1
1Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Irvine , Irvine, California 92697, United States.
Molecular simulations reveal seven isomers of tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and its aggregation into dimers and trimers in n-dodecane. These findings enhance understanding of TBP
Area of Science:
- Nuclear Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Computational Chemistry
Background:
- Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) is a key extractant in nuclear fuel reprocessing.
- Understanding TBP's behavior in diluents is crucial for solvent extraction efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate TBP isomerism and aggregation in n-dodecane using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
- To determine dimerization and trimerization constants for TBP.
Main Methods:
- MD simulations with optimized force fields for TBP and n-dodecane.
- Potential Mean Force (PMF) calculations for isomer and aggregate analysis.
- Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for experimental validation.
Main Results:
- Identified seven probable TBP isomers.
- Observed TBP dimerization and trimerization at higher concentrations.
- Obtained dimerization and trimerization constants matching experimental FTIR data.
Conclusions:
- MD simulations provide detailed insights into TBP's conformational behavior.
- Understanding TBP aggregation is vital for optimizing solvent extraction processes.
- This study aids in comprehending TBP-metal ion complexation in nuclear fuel recovery.
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