Solubility-driven process could simplify used fuel reprocessing

[Marlin]

Solubility-driven process could simplify used fuel reprocessing

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-28/article-8441/solubilitydriven-process-could-simplify-used-fuel-reprocessing/

[Core Content]

Researchers at Oregon State University developed a new aqueous reprocessing technique using concentrated ammonium fluoride solutions. The method exploits solubility differences to separate actinides from fission products in simulated used nuclear fuel. Laboratory tests removed roughly ninety percent of radioactivity from the samples.

Traditional recycling methods like PUREX are susceptible to radiation damage that degrades processing solutions and increases facility costs. This alternative salt-based approach provides greater radiation resistance and could simplify existing operations. Researchers must still test the process with actual spent fuel and evaluate scalability.

Researchers at Oregon State University have developed an aqueous reprocessing technique that could provide a new way to recycle used nuclear fuel or simplify existing reprocessing methods.

As published in Communications Chemistry, the technique uses differences in solubility between actinide fluoride clusters and used nuclear fuel contaminants in a concentrated ammonium fluoride solution to remove a majority of fission products from samples simulating used nuclear fuel.

The case for recycling: When nuclear fuel is removed from a fission reactor, only about 5 percent–10 percent of the fuel's fissile material has been consumed. If reprocessed, the remaining uranium is still useful as fuel.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-28/article-8441/solubilitydriven-process-could-simplify-used-fuel-reprocessing/