Spectrophotometric and Calorimetric Studies of Np(V) Complexation with Acetate at Various Temperatures from T=283 to 343 K

Spectrophotometric titrations were performed to identify the Np(V)/acetate complex and determine the equilibrium constants at various temperatures (T=283 to 343 K) and at the ionic strength 1.05 mola <...kg(-1). The enthalpies of complexation at the corresponding temperatures were determined by microcalorimetric titrations. Results show that the complexation of Np(V) with acetate is weak but strengthens as the temperature increases. The complexation reaction is endothermic and entropy driven. The enhancement of complexation at higher temperatures is primarily due to the increasingly larger entropy gain when the solvent molecules are released from the highly-ordered solvation spheres of NpO(2)(+) and acetate to the bulk solvent where the degree of disorder is higher at higher temperatures.