Separation and complexation of f-block elements using hard-soft donors combined phenanthroline extractants

The chemical separation of minor actinides (MAs) over lanthanides from high-level waste (HLW) is one of the hottest and most difficult topics in international separation science. N, O-hybrid phenanthroline-derived extractants have shown good potential in the separation of minor actinides over lanthanides from highly acidic HNO3 solution by liquid–liquid solvent or solid extraction method. The 1,10-phenanthroline skeleton can serve as a platform to design various extractants for the separation of actinides. In this review, the recent progress made in the hard-soft donors combined 1,10-phenanthroline type extractants for separation and complexation with f-block elements is summarized. The structure–activity relationships between the extractants and their separation performances are discussed, which can provide practical strategies to design more efficient extractants for actinides separation. Finally, the future perspectives and trends in those phenanthroline-derived extractants for actinides separation are proposed.