Introduction of Radiochemistry Laboratory

Radiochemistry Laboratory (formerly radiochemistry teaching and researching section) was established in 1955, accompanied with the foundation of the formerly Department of Modern Physics. The first director of the radiochemistry section was academician LIU Youcheng (刘有成,concurrently). The section’s formal enrollment of students began in 1958, it was one of the earliest educational bases in China to train senior specialists in radiochemistry.

In the 1960s, outstanding graduates (TAO Zuyi, 陶祖贻, YANG Hongxiu, 杨宏秀, etc.) from various universities joined in succession; in 1965, the department of radiochemistry was merged into oursection (QIU Ling, 邱陵) form Nankai University. These teachers and researchershadgreatly enhanced the teaching and research strength of the radiochemistrysection. In 1966, the routine teaching order was seriously disturbed and destroyed. During the Cultural Revolution, the Department of Modern Physics persisted in teaching and researching despite many difficulties. Classes were suspended in May 1966 after the break out of Cultural Revolution, not until 1973 the teaching and researching work were resumed.

In 1979, our results of Extracting Mo, Cm, Pm and Sr-90 from the Waste Water of Nuclear Fuel by High Pressure Ion Exchange was peer-reviewed as first level in China. In 1982, FANGS hengqiang(方胜强) and co-workers developed a F403-type Time Division Liquid Receiver which won the National Invention Award. In 1998, Lanzhou University incorporated the radiochemistry section into the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering andin 1999, the former Department of Modern Physics was canceled. In 2005, radiochemistry section was approved by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)asone of special disciplines.

In 2006, the School of Nuclear Science and Technology was rebuiled to give full play of the advantages of key disciplines (Nuclear Physics) and special disciplines (Radiochemistry). In 2007, the radiochemistry sectionset up a new undergraduate specialty in nuclear engineering and nuclear fuel engineering. In 2012, the course of Entering Nuclear Science and Technology, given by Professor WU Wangsuo (吴王锁), was selected into the 2012 Online Open Course(Ministry of Education). In 2017, our school waspermittedas a doctoral degree authorization centerin the first-class disciplines of nuclear science and technology, and Professor WUWangsuo (吴王锁) of our laboratory was chosen as a national Ten-thousand Talents Program candidate.

Over the past 60 years, our laboratory has never stopped the cultivation of radiochemistry students. The graduates of our laboratory have been working in the forefront and the various places of our country for the research and the applications of nuclear science and technology. Up to now, we have trained more than 1000 senior specialists in radiochemistry, nuclear fuel cycle and environmental radiochemistry for our country. The graduates of our laboratory are all over China's major institutes of nuclear science, as well as related enterprises and factories, such as China Institute of Atomic Energy, Institute of High Energy Physics (CAS),Institute of Modern Physics (CAS) and so on. Most of them are now active in the fields of radiochemistry and related disciplines. Many of them have grown up to be the backbone of nuclear science and technology in China and have made outstanding contributions to China's nuclear field.

There are 16 teachers working in the Laboratory of Radiochemistry. Among them, there are 5 professors (including anational Ten-thousand Talents Program candidateand aspecial-term professorfrom the Recruitment Program of Global Experts), 6associate professors, a senior engineer and 4 lecturersteachingand researching in this lab. Most of them haveabroad working/learning experiences.In recent years, our research team has mainly carried out research in the fields of ion exchange separation, liquid-liquid extraction, radiochemical analysis, adsorption and enrichment of radionuclides at the solid-liquid interface, spectral analysis, adsorption-desorptionmodel fitting, theoretical calculation, etc.We have solid theoretical basis and practical experience in radiochemistry, especially in radionuclides adsorption and migration.

The specialty of Radiochemistry and Nuclear Engineeringare important directions of the first-class discipline of nuclear science and technology in the School of Nuclear Science and Technology. To meet the demands of our country on radiochemical issues that related to the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste and the reprocessing of spent fuel,we have worked on research projects such as:Adsorption, Desorption and Migration of Radionuclides in the Environment of High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal, and Analysis of Spent Fuel Reprocessing and Radiation Protection, and Analysis of Radionuclides in Typical Media. The research level has reached the top class of China andabroad.

According to the nuclearindustry related demand of our country, combining with the research trend of radiochemistry globally and present situation of our laboratory, we will focus on three aspects in the future:
      (1)Adsorption and Migration Behavior of Key Radionuclides in Environmental Media;
      (2)Lanthanidesand Actinides Separation;
      (3) Analysis of Radionuclides at Extremely Low Ambient Levels.

In the past three years, the Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) has successively supportedour projects such as: U (VI) Migration in Beishan Granite Grain Column in the Presence of Colloids, and the key project of Interaction of Am (III) and Eu (III) with Typical Environmental Colloids.

In the field of separation chemistry of lanthanides and actinides, the following projects were approved by NSFC: Synthesis of Butadiamide-Based Functional Ionic Liquids and theApplication in Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Separation of Lanthanides and Actinides by Aminated NanoporousGraphene Film Driven by Electric Field, and Research on the Synthesis and Radiation Chemistry of Novel Lanthanides/Acticinides Separation BTPhen-type Extractant.

In the field of environmental analysis of ultra-low-level radionuclides, the projects such as:Rapid Analysis of Radionuclides Se-79, Sr-90 and Tc-99 in Typical Media and Environmental Behavior and Chemical Morphology Analysis of Long-lived Radionuclides Tc-99 were approved. Additionally, ourlab also undertook the projects of the State Administration of Science,Technology and Industry for National Defense (China), and the relevant enterprises of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) on environmental assessment.