Quarterly report discussing fuel cell research and development work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This report describes efforts directed toward understanding and improving the components of molten-carbonate-electrolyte fuel cells operated at temperatures near 925 K. The primary focus of this work has been the development of electrolyte structures that have good electrolyte retention and mechanical properties as well as long-term stability, and on developing methods of synthesis amendable to mass production.

Annual report of the Argonne National Laboratory Chemical Engineering Division regarding studies of nuclear waste migration in geologic media. This report discusses research regarding nuclide migration by fluid flow in rock.

A review was conducted during the period of mid-June to mid-August 1979, of the literature on spray combustion. Particular attention has been paid to theoretical and experimental work on droplet and spray combustion applicable to the use of alternate fuels, mainly liquid fuels derived from coal and shale.

Both 2F di-n-amyl-n-amylphosphonate in n-dodecane (DA(AP)-DD) and 0.77F tricaprylmethylammonium nitrate in Aromatic 100 (TCMA.NO/sub 3/-AR100) extract uranium and thorium into relatively concentrated organic solutions. Countercurrent-flow tests with each extractant have demonstrated effective uranium-thorium separations by selective stripping from the organic phase. Both extractants offer advantageous alternatives to tributylphosphate (Thorex) in reprocessing irradiated mixed ThO2-UO2 fuels. Formic acid is used for removing thorium from DA(AP)-DD; dilute HNO3 removes uranium from TCMA.NO3-AR100. Spectra of plutonium in formic acid are shown. The use of concentrated TCMA.NO3-AR100 at 50 to 65/sup 0/C avoids viscosity problems and suppresses third-phase formation. Thorium extracts into concentrated TCMA.NO/sub 3/-AR100 in greater amounts than would be predicted from stoichiometric assumptions.