The Cathodic Deposition Coupled With Ion Exchange Technology Enables the Recycling of Radioactive Molten Salts

Abstract

To minimize liquid waste generation and enhance resource utilization in nuclear waste treatment, this study integrates molten salt electrolysis-a dry processing technique—with 5 Å molecular sieve adsorption. This study first examines the electrochemical behavior of MgCl₂ at an inert tungsten electrode, followed by investigation of CeCl₃ redox processes at a Mg-coated electrode, enabling successful cerium electrodeposition on the Mg substrate. ICP-OES measurements of rare earth concentrations in molten salt pre- and post-electrolysis determine a 92.79% average cerium extraction rate. Subsequent kinetic and intraparticle diffusion modeling reveals Ce adsorption conforms to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating chemisorption-dominated mechanisms. Ultimately, molecular sieve adsorption achieves 99.89% elimination efficiency for residual Ce(III) in post-electrolysis molten salt. Based on molten salt electrolysis, this study applies 5 Å molecular sieve technology to achieve enhanced adsorption of rare earth elements, thus enabling efficient recovery. This methodology significantly improves the separation efficiency of fission products in reprocessing operations, while simultaneously enabling the effective recycling of radioactive molten salts and substantially reducing waste production. The developed approach offers innovative solutions and technical foundations for nuclear waste management and resource reclamation.