Scientific collaboration between the ICSM and the MSRC of the JAEA (Tokaï-Ibaraki)

Based on informal scientific exchanges over more than 10 years, the scientific collaboration between the ICSM and Dr Ryuhei Motokawa's team at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency's Materials Science Research Centre (JAEA-Tokai-Ibaraki) has been strengthened in recent years around the ‘Understanding Soft-Matter Organization in Solvent Extraction for Nuclear Fuel Processes’ programme, as part of the JAEA-CEA agreement on nuclear science. In addition, 2 years ago, Dr Marie Simonnet, a researcher at Tokaï for 5 years, joined the ICSM in 2023 and Dr Cyril Micheau, who did a thesis and a post-doc at the ICSM, was recruited in 2024 for a permanent position in Dr Motokawa's team. ICSM researchers have also participated in several experiments on the JAEA reactor, with exchanges of thesis students over several months.

At present, the main objective of the project is to study the supramolecular structures formed during solvent extraction and their link with the separation of metal ions, by combining experimental techniques (SANS-J neutrons on JRR-3, X-rays) and simulations, and several dedicated actions are underway: (1) Optimisation of uranium extraction in sulphuric media through the study of new tertiary amines and a detailed understanding of third-phase formation; (2) Extraction of U in phosphoric media; (3) Structure of alternative solvents such as ionic or eutectic liquids; (4) Structural studies with deuterated malonamides, enabling analysis of extraction interfaces on a nanometric scale; (5) Studies of liquid/liquid interfaces, with a view to establishing an interfacial energy landscape; (6) Studies of solubilisation by nanometric ionic clusters. This work is accompanied by the mobility of young researchers (PhD students, post-docs - PHC SAKURA) between the two institutions, strengthening Franco-Japanese cooperation on advanced and sustainable nuclear processes. 

^{Credit: ICSM}

Permanent collaborators (ICSM): Dr. Sandrine Dourdain (CEA/DRF-ICSM),  Dr. Damien Bourgeois (CNRS-ICSM), Dr. Olivier Diat (CEA/DRF - ICSM).

Permanent collaborators (JAEA): Dr. Ryuhei Motokawa, Dr Yuki Ueda, D. Cyril Micheau

https://msrc.jaea.go.jp/en/about/greeting.html