Influence of the nature of organic diluents on the extraction of uranium(VI) by bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfoxide from nitric acid solutions

The extraction of uranium(VI) from nitric acid solutions by bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfoxide (BESO) has been examined using sixteen inert organic diluents in order to establish the correlation between its distribution coefficient and some physico-chemical properties of the diluents. The extracted solvated species is shown to be UO₂(NO₃)₂·2BESO, irrespective of their nature. The extraction rate is lower in halogen substituted hydrocarbons as compared to the other diluents used. Among benzene derivatives, extraction is found to decrease with number of substituted methyl groups. Extraction efficiency decreases as the organic solvent is varied in the order: benzene>nitromethane>toluene> >nitrobenzene>cyclohexane>p-xylene>monochlorobenzene>dodecane>o-dichlorobenzene> >hexane>decalin>1,2-dichloroethane>1,1,1-trichloroethane>carbon tetrachloride> >tetrachloroethane>chloroform. Among the properties showing good correlations with distribution coefficient are Hansen's three-dimensional solubility parameters and Dimroth's empirical solvent polarity parameters E _T(30) ]. Polarizability indices are most satisfactorily applicable to a wide variety of solvents.