Liquid-liquid partition of cobalt between trilaurylamine N-oxide and aqueous thiocyanate solutions

In an attempt to gain an understanding of factors affecting the extraction of cobalt by trilaurylamine oxide, the equilibria between HX+SCN^– (where X=NO₃^–, Cl^–, SO₄^2–) and benzene solutions of trilaurylamine oxide have been studied. Cobalt is quantitatively extracted by the oxide from aqueous 0.01–1M KSCN in 0.01M concentration of the acids. The extraction mechanism and the possible compositions of the extracted species are discussed. The effect of several anions on the extraction of the element from optimal aqueous solutions are reported and separation factors for a number of metal ions are given. The solvent has a potential for the group preconcentration of toxic metal ions from dilute aqueous solutions.