Die Extraktion von Uran(IV) aus wäßrig-organischen Salpetersäurelösungen mit dem Nitrat des sekundären Amins Amberlite LA-1

The distribution of U(IV) between methanolic, ethanolic and acetonic aqueous nitric acid solutions and the nitrate of the secondary amine Amberlite LA-1 in cyclohexane was investigated. The distribution of the excess acid and the alcohol (acetone) was also investigated. The U(IV) distribution data were correlated with 1) the content of nitric acid and U(IV)-hexanitratocomplex in the mixed aqueous-organic phase and 2) with the concentration of excess acid and methanol (acetone) in the organic phase. These correlations indicate that the extraction of U(IV) is mainly determined by 1) the shift of the complex equilibrium from the side of cationic species to that of neutral and anionic complexes and 2) the competition between these metal complexes and the acid as solvating partners for the extractant molecules. Spectrophotometric investigations show that in the organic phase uranium is present as a hexanitrato complex.