抄録
Some of the important aspects of the radiochemical research carried out in India during the past 40 years are presented in this article. The major part of this work was carried out in the field of nuclear fission which has been one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century and in which radiochensts have played the pivotal role. Radiochemical work carried out on mass, charge, and kinetic energy distribution in fission of actinide nuclei by neutron and charged particles has been described. During the past one decade major part of the work carried out is, using medium energy heavy ions in both nuclear fission and nuclear reactions. Recently work has been initiated on neutron activation analysis using single comparative (K0) method. Basic actinide chemistry programme deals with the thermodynamics/kinetics of complexation of these metal ions with novel ligands as extractants viz. cryptands, polyazapolycarboxylate crown ethers, pyrazolones, isoxazolones, sulphoxides, phosphine oxides, and amides. Particular attention has been paid during last two decades to investigate synergism and develop separation procedures for actinides employing solvent extraction, ion exchange, extraction chromatography, and supported liquid membranes. Focus has shifted in recent years to the evaluation of a) N, N dialkyl amides as alternate extractants to TBP in PUREX/THOREX process and b) CMPO/diamides for actinide partitioning from high level waste.
