Extraction studies of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) with tributylphosphine oxide

Clay minerals occur widely in nature and play a very important role in agriculture, mineral recovery and chemical manufacturing. Among the many properties which affect clay behaviour, water binding and ion exchanging appear to be the most important. The study of the cation exchange capacity of soils is of great theoretical and practical importance since the CEC determines in many ways the behavior of nutrients, chemical amendments, and many toxic compounds entering the sols. Sorption interactions with montmorillonite and other clay minerals in soils are potantially important mechanisms for attenuating the mobility of heavy metal cations through the subsurface environment. In this work the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of montmorillonite from west Anatolia, and sorptions with montmorillonite for attenuating the mobility of uranium were studied. The CEC value was found to be 77 meq/100 g montmorillonite. The relative importance of test parameters e.g., contact time, particle size, pH and U(+6) aqueous speciation was determined. The results show that sorption on montmorillonite is a funtion of pH depending strongly on the aqueous U(+6) species. It reaches a maximum at near neutral pH(pH}7). At low and at high pH solutions the sorption values of uranium are poor. These sorption values were attributed to the formation of aqueous U(+6) carbonate complexes in alkaline conditions and the ionexchange process between UO₂ ⁺² species and interlayer cations on montmorillonite in acidic solutions.     

Extraction chromatographic separation of thorium (IV) with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO)

Thorium was extracted from a mixture of nitric acid and NaNO₃ of 0.01M each at pH 2.2 on a column of silica gel coated with TOPO. Thorium was separated from alkalis, alkaline earths, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, zinc, cadmium, mercury, lead, trivalent rare earths, platinum group metals, chloride, phosphate and acetate in binary mixtures by selective extraction of thorium. Thorium was separated from cerium (IV), zirconium, uranium and molybdenum by selective elution of thorium with 0.01M H₂SO₄. The method was extended for the analysis of thorium in monozite ore.     

Extraction of thorium(IV) with trioctylphosphine oxide from bromide solutions

The extraction of ThBr₄ with trioctylphosphine oxide solutions in cyclohexane has been investigated. It has been shown that the extracted species is the trisolvate ThBr₄· 3TOPO and the corresponding concentration quotient has been calculated. The possibility of sepa ration uranium and thorium by extraction with TOPO in chloroform from bromide system has been discussed.     

Extraction study of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) salicylates with triphenylarsine oxide

Triphenylarsine oxide is proposed as an extractant for the solvent extraction of uranium and thorium salicylates. The optimum extraction conditions are established by studying the various parameters such as pH, sodium salicylate concentration, triphenylarsine oxide concentration, diluents and shaking time. The probable extracted species as ascertained by logD-logC plots are UO₂(Hsal)₂·2TPAsO and Th(Hsal)₄·2TPAsO. The method is simple, fast, precise and permits the determination of uranium and thorium in monazite sand samples.     

Thermogravimetric studies of dipyridinium complexes of cerium(IV), thorium(IV) and zirconium(IV)

The TG curves of dipyridinium complexes of Ce(IV), Th(IV) and Zr(IV) have been reported. The mode of decomposition of the cerium and thorium complexes is broadly comparable but the decomposition of Zr complex shows some variation.     

Laser photolysis studies of the reaction of chromium(III) octaethylporphyrin complex with triphenylphosphine and triphenylphosphine oxide

The photoreaction of the chromium(III) octaethylpoprhyrin complex, [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(L)] (L = H2O, Py, OPPh3), in dichloromethane was studied using laser flash photolysis technique. Laser irradiation causes the generation of a coordinately unsaturated intermediate [Cr(OEP)(Cl)], which reacts with ligands in solution to give the parent complex, [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(L)], or a transient species, [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(H2O)], when L = Py or OPPh3. Once produced [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(H2O)] eventually exchanges the axial H2O ligand with L to regenerate [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(L)]. The kinetics of the axial ligand substitution reaction was followed spectrophotometrically, and the ligand-concentration dependence of the ligand exchange rate revealed that the reaction occurs via a limited dissociative mechanism. The photoreaction of [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(OPPh3)] containing excess PPh3 in the bulk solution leads to the unfavorable coordination of the PPh3 molecule to the chromium ion to give a transient complex, [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(PPh3)]. The dynamic and thermodynamic properties of [Cr(OEP)(Cl)(PPh3)] in solution are discussed on the basis of the kinetic parameters of the dissociation and association reactions of the PPh3 ligand together with the steric aspect of the molecular structure of the related complexes.     

Sorption of thorium(IV) from aqueous solutions by graphene oxide

Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the most important carbon nano-materials. In this paper, GO was synthesized from flake graphite and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The sorption of Th(IV) on GO was investigated as a function of contact time, solid-to-liquid ratio, pH, ionic strength, and in the presence of fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) by batch experiments. The sorption percentage of Th(IV) on GO decreased with increasing ionic strength and decreasing solid-to-liquid ratio. The sorption edge of Th(IV) in the presence of FA/HA is much lower than that in the absence of FA/HA. Furthermore, the sorption processes of Th(IV) can be described by a pseudo-second order rate model. Based on the Langmuir model, the maximum sorption capacities (Cs_max) of Th(IV) were about 5.80 × 10^?4 mol/L. From thermodynamic investigation, sorption of Th(IV) on GO is spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The rapid sorption rate and high sorption capacity suggest that GO is a promising adsorbent for Th(IV).     

Systematic studies of early actinide complexes: thorium(IV) fluoroketimides

Reaction of (C5Me5)2Th(CH3)2 with 2 equiv of NC-ArF gives the corresponding fluorinated thorium(IV) bis(ketimide) complexes (C5Me5)2Th[-N=C(CH3)(ArF)]2 (where ArF = 3-F-C6H4 (4), 4-F-C6H4 (5), 2-F-C6H4 (6), 3,5-F2-C6H3 (7), 3,4,5-F3-C6H2 (8), 2,6-F2-C6H3 (9), 2,4,6-F3-C6H2 (10), and C6F5 (11)). The complexes have been characterized by a combination of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry and NMR, and UV-visible absorption and low-temperature luminescence spectroscopies. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) results are reported for complexes 5, 11, and (C5Me5)2Th[-N=C(Ph)2]2 (1) for comparison with experimental data and to guide in the interpretation of the spectroscopic results. The most significant structural perturbation imparted by the fluorine substitution in these complexes is a rotation of the fluorophenyl group (ArF) out of the plane defined by the N=C(CMe)(Cipso) fragment in complexes 9-11 when the ArF group possesses two ortho fluorine atoms. Excellent agreement is obtained between the optimized ground state DFT calculated structures and crystal structures for 11, which displays the distortion, as well as 5, which does not. In complexes 9-11, the out-of-plane rotation results in large interplanar angles (phi) between the planes formed by ketimide atoms N=C(CMe)(Cipso) and the ketimide aryl groups in the range phi = 49.1-88.8 degrees , while in complexes 5, 7, and 8, phi = 5.7-34.9 degrees . The large distortions in 9-11 are a consequence of an unfavorable steric interaction between one of the two ortho fluorine atoms and the methyl group [-N=C(CH3)] on the ketimide ligand. Excellent agreement is also observed between the experimental electronic spectroscopic data and the TD-DFT predictions that the two lowest lying singlet states are principally of nonbonding nitrogen p orbital to antibonding C=N pi* orbital (pN-->pi*C=N or npi*) character, giving rise to moderately intense transitions in the mid-visible spectral region that are separated in energy by less than 0.1 eV. Low-temperature (77 K) luminescence from both singlet and triplet excited states are also observed for these complexes. Emission lifetime data at 77 K for the triplet states are in the range 50-400 mus. These emission spectral data also exhibit vibronic structure indicative of a small Franck-Condon distortion in the ketimide M-N=C(R1)(R2) linkage. Consistent with this vibronic structure, resonance enhanced Raman vibrational scattering is also observed for (C5Me5)2Th[-N=C(Ph)(CH2Ph)]2 (2) when exciting into the visible excited states. These systems represent rare examples of Th(IV) complexes that engender luminescence and resonance Raman spectral signatures.     

Relativistic density functional study on uranium(IV) and thorium(IV) oxide clusters of zonohedral geometry

Free and ligated oxide clusters of thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) were studied with density functional theory using all-electron scalar relativistic method, as well as energy-consistent relativistic f-in-core pseudopotentials. The main driving force for the cluster formation is the sintering of the dioxoactinide moieties, which is more favorable for thorium(IV) than for uranium(IV) because, for the latter, a penalty for bending of the uranyl(IV) is to be paid. We assumed that the rhombic structural motif that exists already in the (AnO(2))(2) dimer could be a guide to explaining the preference for the existing An(6)O(8)-type clusters. On the basis of this, we have theoretically explored the possibility of the existence of similar (zonohedric) polyhedral actinide oxide clusters and found that the next possible cluster would be of An(12)O(20) stoicheometry. We have predicted by our DFT computations that the corresponding zonohedral clusters would be minima on the potential energy surface. The alternating An-O rhombic structural motif also offers a possible explanation of the existence and stoichiometry of the only nonfluorite cluster thus far, the An(12)O(20), which is nonzonohedral, nonconvex, but still a rhombic polyhedron. Our relativistic all electron DFT computations of both free cationic and ligated clusters predict that preparation of the larger clusters is not forbidden thermodynamically. We have also found that for the uranium(IV), oxide dimer and hexamer clusters are antiferromagnetic, broken spin singlet in their ground state, while ligated [U(6)O(8)] clusters prefer an all high-spin electronic configuration.     

Extraction and separation of scandium salicylate with triphenylphosphine oxide

Scandium can be extracted from 5.0 × 10^–2 mol/l sodium salicylate solution, adjusted to pH 4.0–5.0 with 0.5% triphenylphosphine oxide dissolved in toluene as an extractant. After stripping from the organic phase with 0.5 mol/l HCl it can be subsequently determined spectrophotometrically with Alizarin Red S. The method permits a separation of Sc(III) from Ti(IV), V(V), Cr(VI), Fe(III), Y(III), La(III), Ce(III), Nd(III) and Sm(III) in synthetic mixtures. The method is fast, simple and selective. Received: 6 May 1996 / Revised: 21 July 1996 / Accepted: 25 July 1996     

Extraction and separation of scandium salicylate with triphenylphosphine oxide

Scandium can be extracted from 5.0 × 10⁻² mol/1 sodium salicylate solution, adjusted to pH 4.0–5.0 with 0.5% triphenylphosphine oxide dissolved in toluene as an extractant. After stripping from the organic phase with 0.5 mol/1 HCl it can be subsequently determined spectrophotometrically with Alizarin Red S. The method permits a separation of Sc(III) from Ti(IV), V(V), Cr(VI), Fe(III), Y(III), La(III), Ce(III), Nd(III) and Sm(III) in synthetic mixtures. The method is fast, simple and selective.     

Structural studies on thorium(IV)-titriplex IV-interacted 13X zeolite

A new zeolite derivative has been prepared by interacting Th(IV) and complexone in HCl medium and neutralising with aqueous ammonia. The amorphous and siliceous derivative showed a total mass loss of 29.25% in TG for stepwise dehydration, dehydroxylation and decomposition. Heats of reaction were 1167.6 J g^–1 at 88.7°C and 75.167 J g^–1 at 492.5°C for loss of volatile components and decomposition respectively.²⁹Si and²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra as well as XRD data of the derivative before and after calcination indicate presence of both four-coordinated and six-coordinated Al in varying ratios and the total loss of crystallinity.The author is grateful to Dr. Alan Dyer of the Department of Chemistry and Applied Chemistry, Salford University and to Dr. Jacek Klinowski of the Department of Chemistry, Cambridge University for providing the thermal data and NMR spectra respectively. He also acknowledges the comments received from Dr. N. Suryaprakash of the Sophisticated Instrument Facility, I.I.Sc., Bangalore on the²⁷Al and²⁹Si spectra of the derivatives.     

Kinetic studies on the foam separation of thorium (IV) with sodium lauryl sulphate

Summary The effects of pH, gas flow rate and collector concentration on the rate of thorium removal by foaming with sodium lauryl sulphate have been investigated. The obtained data indicate that only aged hydrated thorium oxide is removed by a flotation mechanism. All the other colloidal and condensed thorium species as well as the colloidal sublates which are formed between the dissolved thorium species and the collector anions appear to be removed by partition and their removal rates could be described by a reversible first-order rate equation. The obtained results are discussed in terms of thorium hydrolysis.

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Zusammenfassung Der Einfluß der pH-Werte, Gasdurchflußmengen und Kollektor-Konzentration auf die Geschwindigkeit der Entfernung des Thoriums durch Schaumbildung mit Natrium-Lauryl-Sulfat wurde untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß das gealterte, wässerige Thoriumoxid durch Flotations-Mechanismen entfernt wird. Die anderen kolloidalen und kondensierten Thorium-Spezien und auch die Kolloidalprodukte, die durch Reaktionen zwischen den gelösten Thoriumspezien und den Kollektor-Anionen formiert sind, sind durch die Verteilung entfernt worden. Die Entfernungsgeschwindigkeit kann beschrieben werden durch eine reversible 1. Ordnungs-Gleichung. Die Ergebnisse werden in Abhängigkeit einer ThoriumHydrolyse diskutiert.

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With 7 figures     

Complexes of thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) with some Schiff bases

Complexes of thorium(IV) and uranium(IV) with Schiff bases derived from salicylaldehyde have been prepared and characterised. The metal tetrachlorides react directly with quadridentate Schiff bases in ethanol to yield the complexes but bidentate Schiff bases yield hydrolysed products under the same conditions. Complexes of the bidentate Schiff bases are obtained by reaction of ligand with metal tetraacetate in a melt or by ligand exchange with the thallium-Schiff base complex. Absorption spectra are reported and band assignments are discussed.     

Extraction and separation studies of platinum(IV) with N-n-octylaniline

N-n-octylaniline in xylene is used for the extractive separation of platinum(IV) from acidic media. Platinum(IV) was extracted quantitatively with 10 ml of 3% reagent in xylene from 0.5 to 10 and 2.5 to 10 M hydrochloric and sulphuric acid, respectively. It was stripped from organic phase with water and estimated photometrically with stannous chloride. The effect of metal ion, acids, reagent concentration and of various foreign ions has been investigated. The method affords binary separation of platinum(IV) from iron(III), cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II), and is applicable to the analysis of synthetic mixtures and alloys. The method is fast, accurate and precise.