Solubility of YF<Subscript>3</Subscript>, CeF<Subscript>3</Subscript>, PrF<Subscript>3</Subscript>, NdF<Subscript>3</Subscript>, and DyF<Subscript>3</Subscript> in solutions containing sulfuric and phosphoric acids

The solubility of YF₃, CeF₃, PrF₃, NdF₃, and DyF₃ in solutions containing 0–4.496% mol/L (0–35 wt %) of H₂SO₄ and 0–27.6 g/L of H₃PO₄ (0–20 g/L of P₂O₅) at 20 °C was determined. Higher solubility in sulfuric acid solutions compared to that in hydrochloric and phosphoric acid solutions was attributed to the formation of fluorosulfate complexes M₂(SO₄)F₄(M = Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Dy). The effect of minor concentrations of the phosphate ions on the solubility of YF₃, CeF₃, PrF₃, NdF₃, and DyF₃ in sulfuric acid solutions and the effect of fluoride ions on the recovery of lanthanides during sulfuric acid leaching from the phosphohemihydrate were discussed.     

Kinetics and Mechanism of the Electro-oxidation of Gold in Thiocarbamide Solutions

The kinetics and mechanism of the electrooxidation of gold and thiocarbamide in sulfuric acid solutions of thiocarbamide (TC) have been investigated. The potentials for the oxidation of gold in TC solutions to [Au(TC)₂]⁺ _ads and [Au(TC)₃]³⁺ _ads are 0.132 and 0.561 V (relative to the standard silver chloride electrode). The electrooxidation of thiocarbamide in sulfuric acid solution is characterized by two maximums on voltammograms at 0.983 V (formation of formamidine disulfide, FAD) and 1.437 V (oxidation of FAD, sulfides and hydrosulfides of gold(I)). The calculated rate constants for the electrosolution of gold at the maximum current of the voltammogram is k ₁ = 1.15·10^–5 cm/s and at the minimum current is k ₂ = 3.13·10^–6 cm/s in sulfuric solutions of TC. A mechanism is proposed for the electrosolution of gold and TC in sulfuric acid solutions of thiocarbamide.     

Sonoluminescence of aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide

Sonoluminescence (SL) of aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide enhances with an increase in their concentration and reaches a maximum at 16 and 0.05 mol L^–1, respectively. The further increase in the concentration of these substances decreases the SL intensity. The SL spectra of the solutions have a broad maximum at 450 nm. Excited SO₂ molecules formed in sulfuric acid due to sonolysis are luminescence emitters. The proposed mechanism of bright SL in these systems is based on the energy transfer from the electron-excited sonolysis products to the SO₂ molecules in cavitation bubbles.     

Interaction of single-walled carbon nanotubes with sulfuric acid

An increase in the radiation yield of paramagnetic centers in H₂SO₄ + nanotubes (NTs) solutions was evidence of the sensitizing influence of NTs on the low-temperature radiolysis of sulfuric acid, that is, on excitation energy and charge transfer. Under the conditions selected, the influence of NTs extended to distances of 100–300 nm. The presence of NTs also influenced the interstice nanodiffusion of atomic hydrogen by decreasing kinetic heterogeneity of the vitrified matrix surrounding NTs. No chemical interaction between atomic hydrogen and carbon NTs was observed at 77–120 K. The diffusion of radical-base anions occurred following the vacancy mechanism and was independent of the presence of NTs. Nanotubes did not form a separate phase as sulfuric acid solutions were cooled to 77 K. The transition from the vitreous to supercooled liquid state was observed as irradiated and nonirradiated solutions were heated to 175 K; no phase transitions occurred over the temperature range 180–300 K. For the first time, substantial changes in the electronic spectra of sulfuric acid solutions of NTs with time were observed: an intense additional absorption band at 320 nm appeared in the spectra in several days. This band was supposedly related to the formation of complexes between H₂SO₄ molecules and the surface of NTs.     

Inhibition by F- ions of the low-temperature chemiluminescence oxidation of U4+ by xenon difluoride in frozen aqueous solutions of H2SO4

An increase by several orders of magnitude in the intensity of chemiluminescence detected upon the reaction of U^IV and XeF₂ in aqueous solutions of H₂SO₄ at 200 K was interpreted in the framework of concepts on catalysis of the reaction by the juvenile surface of sulfuric acid crystalline hydrates. This is indirectly confirmed by the observed effect of inhibition of the lowtemperature reaction by fluoride ions.     

Plutonium extraction from mixed aqueous media. Plutonium—Uranium separation

A systematic study is presented on Pu IV extraction with tri-n-butyl phosphate and trilaurylamine from binary mixtures of H₂SO₄ with HCl and HBr. The addition of sulfuric acid to the mentioned mineral acid solutions, was found to affect appreciably D_Pu, which recommended some useful purification procedures. The effect of water-miscible alcohols on the extraction of plutonium from HCl and HNO₃ solutions was also investigated.     

Resonance raman spectra and structure of p-aminoazobenzene dyes in diprotonated form

Resonance Raman spectra of methyl orange and its three ring deuterated and three ¹⁵N-azo derivatives have been measured in solutions in concentrated sulfuric acid and sulfuric acid-d₂. From the isotope shifts of the observed Raman bands, methylorange is confirmed to take the dicationic azo form protonated at the dimethylamino and the α-azo nitrogen atoms. The resonance Raman spectrum of tropaeolin OO is entirely different from that of methyl orange in concentrated sulfuric acid and is well elucidated on the basis of the protonated hydrazone-form, -NH-N⁺H =.     

Investigation of the electrochemical behaviour of lead dioxide in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions by using the in situ EQCM technique

The charge-discharge characteristics and the aging mechanism of PbO₂ layers in contact with sulfuric acid solutions of different concentrations (1.5–5.0 M) were studied by using combined cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) techniques. For this purpose, thick lead dioxide layers were electrodeposited on gold substrate from aqueous solutions of Pb(NO₃)₂ dissolved in nitric acid. Based on the electrochemical and the mass change responses, it was found that in more concentrated solutions of H₂SO₄, the main reduction reaction was the transformation of lead dioxide to lead sulfate. However, in less concentrated sulfuric acid media, the transformation of lead dioxide to lead(II) ion became the main reaction. These Pb²⁺ ions transformed into lead sulfate crystals later by a chemical reaction. Because the electrochemical oxidation of lead sulfate is less favourable in sulfuric acid medium of higher concentrations, thus, PbO₂ layers cannot be tested by continuous cyclization, which is necessary to study their aging parameters. Therefore, a delay step before each cyclic voltammogram was applied while the non-conductive lead sulfate dissolves or alternatively, by applying a pre-oxidation step prior to each cyclic voltammetry experiment to produce electrochemically significant amount of lead dioxide which can be reduced during the following negative potential sweep.

     

On the emitters of sulfuric acid sonoluminescence

A comparative study of the sonoluminescence spectra of water and argon-saturated aqueous H₂SO₄ solutions was carried out. At an H₂SO₄ concentration of 18 mol L⁻¹, the sulfuric acid sonoluminescence is fifty times more intense than water sonoluminescence. The sulfuric acid luminescence spectrum differs from the water sonoluminescence spectrum caused by the emission of excited water molecules and OH radicals from the gas phase of cavitation bubbles. The sulfuric acid sonoluminescence spectrum exhibits maxima at 330, 420, 500, and 630 nm. Emitters of sonoluminescence of sulfuric acid are the singlet (330–340 nm) and triplet (∼420 nm) excited SO₂ molecules formed by sonolysis of H₂SO₄ molecules. Another product of sonolysis of H₂SO₄, atomic oxygen, is assumed to be responsible for the luminescence at λ = 630 nm. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1742–1745, August, 2005.     

Studying the effects of bismuth on the electrochemical properties of lead dioxide layers by using the in situ EQCM technique

The charge-discharge characteristics and the aging mechanism of PbO₂ layers doped with bismuth in contact with sulfuric acid solutions were studied by using combined cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) techniques. For this purpose, thick lead dioxide layers (non-doped and doped with Bi) were electrodeposited on gold substrate from aqueous solutions of Pb(NO₃)₂ dissolved in nitric acid and they were investigated in sulfuric acid media. Based on the electrochemical and the mass change responses, it is concluded that during the electrodeposition, bismuth influences the structure of the PbO₂ formed. Bi(III) also inhibits the oxidation of lead sulfate and affects the reduction kinetics of lead dioxide. During successive cyclization (aging), the presence of bismuth accelerates the hydration of PbO₂.

     

Diffusion with hydrolysis and ion association in aqueous solutions of beryllium sulfate

Taylor dispersion is used to measure mutual diffusion coefficients for aqueous solutions of beryllium sulfate at concentrations from 0.005 to 1 mol-L^–1 at 25°C. Least-squares analysis of the dispersion profiles shows that diffusion of the partially hydrolyzed salt produces a small additional flow of sulfuric acid, about 0.04 mol sulfuric acid per mole of total beryllium sulfate. Ternary diffusion coefficients measured for the aqueous BeSO₄–H₂SO₄ system are qualitatively consistent with Nernst-Planck predictions based on the formation of beryllium sulfate ion pairs, bisulfate ions, and the hydrolysis equilibria 2Be²⁺+H₂O= Be₂OH³⁺+H⁺, 3Be²⁺+2H₂O=Be₃(OH) ₂ ⁴⁺ +2H⁺. Except for very dilute solutions, the predicted flow of sulfuric acid is small compared to the flow of beryllium sulfate because most of the beryllium ions are protected from hydrolysis by the formation of BeSO₄ ion pairs, and most of the hydrogen ions produced by hydrolysis are converted to less-mobile bisulfate ions.     

A study of the solubility of yttrium,praseodymium, neodymium,and gadolinium sulfates in the presence of sodium and potassium in sulfuric-phosphoric acid solutions at 20°C

Solubility of yttrium, praseodymium, neodymium, and gadolinium sulfates in the presence of sodium and potassium ions and the composition of solid phases were studied at 20°C in relation to the concentration of acids in sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and sulfuric-phosphoric acid solutions containing up to 36 wt % H₂SO₄ and 33.12 g 1^?1 H₃PO₄.     

Diffusion of ionic species labeled with35S in various aqueous electrolyte solutions at 25°C

Composite diffusion coeffcients have been measured for the various species labeled with³⁵S which are present in a number of aqueous solutions due to the introduction of the labeled material as³⁵SO ₄ ^2– . The solutions were of two components consisting of water and either sodium sulfate. The diffusion coeffcient measured for sodium chloride solutions is similar to literature data for the corresponding diffusion in sodium sulfate solutions. The results for sulfuric acid and ammonium hydrogen sulfate have been interpreted using literature data for the relative concentrations of the hydrogen sulfate and sulfate ions to obtain estimates for the diffusion coefficents of those ions. The results for perchloric acid, regarded as representing the diffusion coefficient of the hydrogen sulfate ion, have a much different concentration dependence to that observed for the estimates for that ion in sulfuric acid and ammonuim hydrogen sulfate. The difference is attributed to the effect of the perchlorate ion on the water structure.     

Deposition of thin electroplated Cd-Se layers

Cadmium-selenium alloys were electrodeposited from a sulfuric acid electrolyte. The effect of the H₂SeO₃, CdSO₄, and sulfuric acid concentrations, current density, and temperature on the composition and quality of cathode deposits was studied.     

Radiation stability of trivalent antimony in the presence of organic acids

The gamma ray induced oxidation of Sb(III) in sulfuric acid solutions was studied. A simplified method depending on selective extraction of the different valency states and radiometric counting was elaborated for oxidation yield determination. The effect of increasing amounts of HCOOH, CH₃COOH, NH₂CH₂COOH, CH₃CHOH COOH and H₂C₂O₄ on G[-Sb(III)] was examined. The study enabled a determination of rate constant values for reactions of the used additives with the OH radical in the working solutions.     

Effect of electrolytes on the sensitivity of thermal-lens measurements in aqueous media

The thermooptical properties of aqueous solutions of strong electrolytes (H₂SO₄, HCl, NaCl, Na₂SO₄, and NaOH) are considered. The thermal lens signal depends on the nature of the electrolyte. The effect of an electrolyte is not the sum of the effects of the constituent ions. The largest gain in the sensitivity of thermal-lens measurements is achieved with sulfuric acid (sensitivity enhancement factor of 2 for 0.6 M H₂SO₄ versus water) and sodium chloride (sensitivity enhancement factor of 1.5 for 3 M NaCl), while the effect of hydrochloric acid is negligible.     

The extraction of niobium (V) and Tantalum (V) by Octylarsinic acid in chloroform

Dioctylarsinic acid (HDOAA) in chloroform solution extracts Nb(V) and Ta(V) efficiently from solutions containing oxalate and oxalic acid at hydrochloric acid concentrations greater than 1M.The extraction coefficients are 92.5 at 7M hydrochloric acid and 251 at 6M hydrochloric acid for niobium and tantalum, respectively. These metals can be extracted even more efficiently from sulfuric acid solutions. The results of the reagent- and pH-dependence studies suggested that a trimeric, monobasic oxoacid of niobium, associated with ten HDOAA molecules, is extracted. Tantalum appears to be present in the organic phase as (H₂DOAA)⁺ [Ta(C₂O₄)₃ (HDOAA_n] (n=l or 2).     

pH‐Dependent Proton Conducting Behavior in a Metal–Organic Framework Material

A porous metal–organic framework (MOF), [Ni₂(dobdc)(H₂O)₂]?6 H₂O (Ni₂(dobdc) or Ni‐MOF‐74; dobdc^4?=2,5‐dioxido‐1,4‐benzenedicarboxylate) with hexagonal channels was synthesized using a microwave‐assisted solvothermal reaction. Soaking Ni₂(dobdc) in sulfuric acid solutions at different pH values afforded new proton‐conducting frameworks, H⁺@Ni₂(dobdc). At pH 1.8, the acidified MOF shows proton conductivity of 2.2×10^?2 S cm^?1 at 80 °C and 95 % relative humidity (RH), approaching the highest values reported for MOFs. Proton conduction occurs via the Grotthuss mechanism with a significantly low activation energy as compared to other proton‐conducting MOFs. Protonated water clusters within the pores of H⁺@Ni₂(dobdc) play an important role in the conduction process.     

Recovery of manganese(II) by electrodialysis with liquid membranes based on di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid

Electrodialysis membrane extraction of manganese(II) from sulfuric acid solutions with liquid membranes containing di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid and tri-n-octylamine in 1,2-dichloroethane was studied. The effect of the electrodialysis conditions and the composition of the organic phase and aqueous solutions on the transport rate of manganese(II) ions was examined. The conditions of quantitative recovery of the metal from a 0.01 M MnSO₄ solution were determined.