Mutual effect of elements in the separation by sublimation of their chlorides

The transfer and separation of the chlorides of a number of rare-earth and actinide elements and their mixtures has been investigated in the flow of gas-carrier along a quartz tube under temperature gradient. The dependence of the position (characteristic temperature) and shape of the condensation (or sorption) peak of cerium chloride in the gradient region of the tube on the amount of substance in the starting zone has been studied. Weight limits determining the behaviour of the substance as micro- or macrocomponent and its transfer by adsorption or condensation mechanism have been established. The mutual effect of elements in the La?Ce, Am?U, Np?U systems has been studied. It is shown that in the case, when the condensation peak of the macrocomponent overlaps the adsorption zone of the microcomponent, the position of the adsorption peak is shifted and the effectivity of the micro- and macrocomponent separation deteriorates in comparison with the separation of microamounts of elements. If the condensation of the macrocomponent occurs in temperature zones distant from that of the microcomponent adsorption, the position of the latter does not change and the degree of purification of the microcomponent increases.     

Description of Am(III) microamount extraction in the presence of lanthanide macroamounts

On the basis of distribution dependences, an analysis of the effect of the macrocomponent (lanthanide) on the extraction of the microcomponent (americium) by benzyl-dialkylamines and benzyltrialkylammonium salts has been made. Assuming the validity of D_Ln=f(c _Ln ^o ) and D_Am=f(c _Ln ^o ), the power function of the general expression log D=logP-Qlog c _Ln ^o has been calculated, the constants have been determination of the equation applying to individual extraction systems and their physical and chemical characteristics have been discussed.     

Interference of elements upon extraction by macrocyclic extractants

The extraction of cations of a series of alkali and alkali-earth metals, along with Pb(II), Rh(III), and Pd(II) with crown, thiacrown and azacrown ethers from picric and nitric acid solutions was studied. Upon the extraction of metal cations with macrocyclic extractants, the interference of those cations on the extraction of one another was observed in polar solvents. The causes of this phenomenon are revealed, and a mechanism for the suppression of extraction of the microcomponent with the macrocomponent is proposed. Upon the simultaneous extraction of americium (III) and europium (III) with calixarenes the co-extraction was noted for the first time, resulting in the good extraction of Am(III) from nitric acid solutions. We hypothesize on the formation of a mixed nitrate complex of americium and europium that can be effectively extracted into an organic phase with calixarenes.     

Microamount extraction separation of Eu(III) in the presence of lanthanide macroamounts and complexing agents in the aqueous phase

Parallel extraction (coextraction) of several elements is a phenomenon in technological processes where extraction is applied as a separation method. On the basis of the stability constants, it is possible to derive simple expressions for the prediction of effects of a complexing agent. The proposed mathematical model, the validity of which was verified by comparison with experimental data, proved to be a suitable approximation of real systems. From the technological point of view, the method presented enables to simulate the purification process of a macrocomponent according to the known dependences D_Mi,Ma=f(c _Ma ^o ).     

Use of complex-forming agents for extraction separation of cerium group of rare-earth elements in systems with neutral organophosphorus extractants

The use of complexons: nitrilotriacetic (NTA) and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic (DTPA) acids have been studied in extraction systems with main classes of neutral organo phosphorus extractants: phosphates (tributyl phosphate-TBP), phosphonate (diisooctylmethyl phosphonate-DiOMP) and phosphine oxides (triisoamylphosphineoxide-TiAPO) to separate lanthanides of the Ce subgroup. Optimal conditions to use complexon have been determined (extractant and salting agent concentrations). The effect of the type of extractant on the lanthanide distribution coefficients' dependence on pH of equilibrium water solution have been studied in the presence of NTA and DTPA. Unextractable cation displacers have been used to regulate distribution coefficients. The values of lanthanide separation coefficients of Ce group have been determined in extraction systems with neutral phosphorus-containing extraction agents — complexon — salting agent compared with Nd macroconcentrations and for lanthanide microconcentrations in the presence of cation displacer. These systems have been shown to be suitable for lanthanide separation of the cerium group.     

Evaluation of the effects of lanthanide coextraction on microamount americium extraction

On the basis of 42 distribution dependencies, an analysis of the effect of the macrocomponent (Ln) on the extraction of the microcomponent (Am) by benzyldialkylamines and benzyltrialkylammonium salts has been made. Assuming the validity of D_Ln=f(c _Ln ⁰ ) and D_{A m}=f(c _Ln ⁰ ), the power function of the general expression log D=–log P–q log c _Ln ⁰ has been calculated, the constants have been determined for the equations applying to individual extraction systems. Their physical and chemical characteristics are discussed.     

Extraction separation of rare-earth ions via competitive ligand complexations between aqueous and ionic-liquid phases

The extraction separation of rare earth elements is one of the most challenging separation processes in hydrometallurgy and advanced nuclear fuel cycles. The TALSPEAK process (trivalent actinide lanthanide separations by phosphorus-reagent extraction from aqueous komplexes) is a prime example of these separation processes. The objective of this paper is to explore the use of ionic liquids (ILs) for the TALSPEAK-like process, to further enhance its extraction efficiencies for lanthanides, and to investigate the potential of using this modified TALSPEAK process for separation of lanthanides among themselves. Eight imidazolium ILs ([C(n)mim][NTf(2)] and [C(n)mim][BETI], n = 4,6,8,10) and one pyrrolidinium IL ([C(4)mPy][NTf(2)]) were investigated as diluents using di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) as an extractant for the separation of lanthanide ions from aqueous solutions of 50 mM glycolic acid or citric acid and 5 mM diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). The extraction efficiencies were studied in comparison with diisopropylbenzene (DIPB), an organic solvent used as a diluent for the conventional TALSPEAK extraction system. Excellent extraction efficiencies and selectivities were found for a number of lanthanide ions using HDEHP as an extractant in these ILs. The effects of different alkyl chain lengths in the cations of ILs and of different anions on extraction efficiencies and selectivities of lanthanide ions are also presented in this paper.     

Solvent extraction of the lanthanide elements,scandium, uranium and thorium using tetracycline as complexing agent

Hydrogen ion dependence and extractant dependence of the extraction of the lanthanide elements, scandium, uranium and thorium into a solution of tetracycline in benzyl alcohol have been determined. Possiblity of using the tetracycline-benzyl alcohol system for separation of the lanthanide elements present in a mixture, as well as for the separation of uranium from those elements was tested. In the first case discontinuous countercurrent technique was used. In the second case a single step solvent extraction procedure was applied.     

Studies on the extraction and separation of lanthanide ions with a synergistic extraction system combined with 1,4,10,13-tetrathia-7,16-diazacyclooctadecane and lauric acid

1,4,10,13-Tetrathia-7,16-diazacyclooctadecane (ATCO) and its binary extraction system containing lauric acid were studied extensively as extractants of lanthanide (M(3+)=La(3+), Ce(3+), Pr(3+), Nd(3+), Sm(3+), Eu(3+) and Gd(3+)) in 1,2-dichloroethane solution. The percentage extraction of Ce(3+) and Eu(3+) by ATCO were only measured to be less than 5% during a pH range 5.5-7.0 in NCS(-), ClO(4)(-) and PF(6)(-) mediums respectively, which indicates that ATCO alone has very low extractability to lanthanide, due to the bad fit of metal ions in its cavity. However, when lauric acid was added to the ATCO organic phase, because of forming rare earth adduct, the percentage extraction for lanthanide until Gd(3+) was enhanced in the binary system in comparison with that did not adopt the lauric acid within the pH range 6-7. The extraction species and extraction equilibrium constants logK(ex) were found to be CeLA(3)3HA, -8.5, EuLA(3)HA, -6.7, and GdLA(2)NO(3)2HA, -1.8, respectively. The separation factor between Eu(3+) and Ce(3+) was found to be 2.5, however, poor selectivity for lanthanide was observed. From Gd(3+) to Er(3+) and Lu(3+), the synergistic effect of the binary extraction system decreases with increasing atomic number. For gadolinium, the synergistic effect becomes much weaker than that of Ce(3+) and Eu(3+), no synergistic effect existed for erbium and lutetium. Thermodynamic data for synergistic solvent extraction are also reported in this paper. The order of organic phase stability constants of the extraction species is Sm (5.8)>Pr (5.7)>Eu (5.6)>Ce (5.3)>La (5.2)>Gd (2.8).     

Carbon-based magnetic nanocomposites in solid phase dispersion for the preconcentration some of lanthanides, followed by their quantitation via ICP-OES

We report on a method for the extraction of the lanthanide ions La(III), Sm(III), Nd(III) and Pr(III) using a carbon-ferrite magnetic nanocomposite as a new adsorbent, and their determination via flow injection ICP-OES. The lanthanide ions were converted into their complexes with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol, and these were adsorbed onto the nanocomposite. Fractional factorial design and central composite design were applied to optimize the extraction efficiencies to result in preconcentration factors in the range of 141–246. Linear calibration plots were obtained, the limits of detection (at S/N?=?3) are between 0.5 and 10 μg?L^?1, and the intra-day precisions (n?=?3) range from 3.1 to 12.8 %. The method was successfully applied to a certified reference material.

Optical spectroscopy study of organic-phase lanthanide complexes in the TALSPEAK separations process

Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy have been applied to characterize the coordination environment of lipophilic complexes of Eu(3+) with bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP) and (2-ethylhexyl)phosphonic acid mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester (HEH[EHP]) in 1,4-diisopropylbenzene (DIPB). The primary focus is on understanding the role of lactate (HL) in lanthanide partitioning into DIPB solutions of HDEHP or HEH[EHP] as it is employed in the TALSPEAK solvent extraction process for lanthanide separations from trivalent actinides. The broader purpose of this study is to characterize the changes that can occur in the coordination environment of lanthanide ions as metal-ion concentrations increase in nonpolar media. The optical spectroscopy studies reported here complement an earlier investigation of similar solutions using NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Emission spectra of Eu(3+) complexes with HDEHP/HEH[EHP] demonstrate that, as long as the Eu(3+) concentration is maintained well below saturation of the organic extractant solution, the Eu(3+) coordination environment remains constant as both [HL](org) and [H(2)O](org) are increased. If the total organic-phase lanthanide concentration is increased (by extraction of moderate amounts of La(3+)), the (5)D(0) → (7)F(1) transition singlet splits into a doublet with a notable increase in the intensity of both (5)D(0) → (7)F(1) and (5)D(0) → (7)F(2) electronic transitions. The increased multiplicity in the emission spectra indicates that Eu(3+) ions are present in multiple coordination environments. The increased emission intensity of the 614 nm band implies an overall reduction in symmetry of the extracted Eu(3+) complex in the presence of macroscopic La(3+). Although [H(2)O](org) increases to above 1 M at high [HL](tot), this water is not associated with the Eu(3+) metal center. IR spectroscopy results confirm a direct Ln(3+)-lactate interaction at high concentrations of lanthanide and lactate in the extractant phase. At low organic-phase lanthanide concentrations, the predominant complex is almost certainly the well-known Ln(DEHP·HDEHP)(3). As lanthanide concentrations in the organic phase increase, mixed-ligand complexes with the general stoichiometry Ln(L)(n)(DEHP)(3-n) or Ln(L)(n)(DEHP·HDEHP)(3-n) become the dominant species.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of some lanthanide metal ions by polyoxyalkylene systems

Polyoxyalkylene systems, namely, polypropylene glycol (PPG-1025), polyethylene glycol (PEG-600) and polybutadieneoxide (PBDO-700) dissolved in either nitrobenzene or 1,2-dichloroethane have been tested as prospective extractants for some lanthanide metal ions (Eu(3+), Pr(3+) and Er(3+)) from their aqueous solutions in the presence of picrate anions. The metal ions were quantified before and after extraction using the inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometry technique. The percent extraction and the distribution coefficients have indicated that pH of the aqueous phase, picrate concentration and the organic solvent are the major parameters that affect the extraction efficiency of the metal ions. The optimum pH range was found to be 3.5-5.5 and the picrate concentration should be as high as possible; however, a picrate concentration of about 0.05 M proved to be adequate for a near quantitative extraction. In all cases, nitrobenzene enhanced a higher percent extraction compared to 1,2-dichloroethane. The efficiency of the polyoxyalkylene systems to extract certain lanthanide metal ions was in the order PBDO-700>PPG-1025>PEG-600 when nitrobenzene was the organic solvent and in the order PPG-1025>PBDO-700 approximately PEG-600 when 1,2-dichloroethane used as the solvent in the organic phase. The extractability of PPG-1025 towards the lanthanide metal ions was in the order Pr(3+)>Eu(3+)>Er(3+) irrespective of the organic solvent used. The stoichiometry of the extracted polyoxyalkylene ion-pairs with the lanthanide metal ions has been estimated. Each mole of metal ions is associated with three moles of picrate anions and 13 to 14 moles of propyleneoxide units in the case of PPG-1025, and about 9 to 10 moles of ethyleneoxide units in the case of PEG-600 and 10 moles of butadieneoxide units in the case of PBDO-700.     

Study of the mass transfer of elements in their dynamic leaching from soils and bottom sediments

Effective mass-transfer coefficients of elements in their dynamic extraction from soils, silts, and bottom sediments in a rotating coil column were calculated with the use of the deterministic model of sorption/desorption dynamics describing the behavior of a microcomponent in the system stationary solid sorbent-mobile liquid phase. It was demonstrated that on-line fractionation of element forms in a rotating coil column allows not only a more correct (in comparison with successive extraction in the static mode) determination of heavy metals and arsenic in the most mobile and biologically accessible fractions, but also the prediction of the dynamics of the element release with changing environmental conditions.     

Mechanism for Solvent Extraction of Lanthanides from Chloride Media by Basic Extractants

The solvent extraction of lanthanides from chloride media to an organic phase containing an anion exchanger in the chloride form is known to show low extraction percentages and small separation factors. The coordination chemistry of the lanthanides in combination with this kind of extractant is poorly understood. Previous work has mainly used solvent extraction based techniques (slope analysis, fittings of the extraction curves) to derive the extraction mechanism of lanthanides from chloride media. In this paper, EXAFS spectra, luminescence lifetimes, excitation and emission spectra, and organic phase loadings of lanthanides in dry, water-saturated and diluted Aliquat 336 chloride or Cyphos IL 101 have been measured. The data show the formation of the hydrated lanthanide ion [Ln(H₂O)_8–9]³⁺ in undiluted and diluted Aliquat 336 and the complex [LnCl₆]^3? in dry Aliquat 336. The presence of the same species [Ln(H₂O)_8–9]³⁺ in the aqueous and in the organic phase explains the small separation factors and the poor selectivities for the separation of mixtures of lanthanides. Changes in separation factors with increasing chloride concentrations can be explained by changes in stability of the lanthanide chloro complexes in the aqueous phase, in combination with the extraction of the hydrated lanthanide ion to the organic phase. Finally, it is shown that the organic phase can be loaded with 107 g·L^?1 of Nd(III) under the optimal conditions.     

Microviscosity of ions and salting-out in the extraction of rare-earth and transplutonium elements

A chemical procedure has been developed for the separation of U, Th, Fe, Sc, Na, Ta and Mo, which interfere in neutron activation analysis of the lanthanide elements in rocks. This methods in based on the extraction of interferents, before irradiation of the samples, using a solution of tetracycline in benzyl alcohol. The lanthanide elements remain in the aqueous phase and are coprecipitated with calcium oxlate or ferric hydroxide for irradiation and subsequent determination by gamma-ray spectrometry. Conditions for the separation of these interferences are examined determining the extraction curves. The chemical separation procedure was applied in the analysis of lanthanides in geological materials and the results showing the accuracy and the reproducibility of the method are presented. The sensitivity for all the lanthanides was determined.     

From BTBPs to BTPhens: The Effect of Ligand Pre-Organization on the Extraction Properties of Quadridentate Bis-Triazine Ligands

The synthesis, lanthanide complexation and solvent extraction of An(III) and Ln(III) radiotracers from nitric acid solutions by a pre-organized, phenanthroline-derived bis-triazine ligand CyMe4-BTPhen are described. It was found that the ligand separated Am(III) and Cm(III) from the lanthanides with remarkably high efficiency, high selectivity, and faster extraction kinetics compared to its 2,2’-bipyridine counterpart CyMe4-BTBP. The origins of the ligands extraction properties were established by a combination of solvent extraction experiments, X-ray crystallography, kinetics and surface tension measurements and lanthanide NMR spectroscopy.     

Determination of the stability constants for the complexes of rare earth elements and tetracycline

Stability constants for the lanthanide elements complexes with tetracycline were determined by the methods of average number of ligands, the two parameters and by weighted least squares. The technique of solvent extraction was applied to obtain the values of the parameters required for the determination of the constants.     

Extraction of americium(VI) by a neutral phosphonate ligand

Recently the use of the more unusual hexavalent oxidation state of americium has been receiving increased attention for the purpose of developing an efficient Am/Cm or Am/lanthanide separation system. We have already demonstrated the feasibility of performing this separation with 30% TBP in dodecane, and are now looking at different extractants to increase Am(VI) distribution ratios. Following on from this the extraction of bismuth oxidized americium from nitric acid solutions by dibutyl butyl phosphonate has been studied. The results of this study indicate that increasing the basicity of the extractant molecule has significantly improved the extraction efficiency.     

Separation of yttrium from heavy lanthanide by CA-100 using the complexing agent

The selective extraction of yttrium from heavy lanthanide by liquid-liquid extraction using CA-100 in the presence of the complexing agent, such as EDTA, DTPA, and HEDTA was investigated. The extraction of heavy lanthanide in the present of the complexing agent was suppressed when compared to that of Y because of the masking effect, but the selective extraction of Y was enhanced. All complexing agents formed 1:1 complex with rare earth elements (RE), and only free rare earth ions could take part in the extraction. The condition for separation was obtained by exploring the effects of the complexing agent concentration, the extractant concentration, pH and the equilibration time on the extraction of the heavy rare earth elements.     

Cloud point extraction: an alternative to traditional liquid-liquid extraction for lanthanides(III) separation

Cloud point extraction (CPE) was used to extract and separate lanthanum(III) and gadolinium(III) nitrate from an aqueous solution. The methodology used is based on the formation of lanthanide(III)-8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) complexes soluble in a micellar phase of non-ionic surfactant. The lanthanide(III) complexes are then extracted into the surfactant-rich phase at a temperature above the cloud point temperature (CPT). The structure of the non-ionic surfactant, and the chelating agent-metal molar ratio are identified as factors determining the extraction efficiency and selectivity. In an aqueous solution containing equimolar concentrations of La(III) and Gd(III), extraction efficiency for Gd(III) can reach 96% with a Gd(III)/La(III) selectivity higher than 30 using Triton X-114. Under those conditions, a Gd(III) decontamination factor of 50 is obtained.