Solvent extraction of rare earth metal ions with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN)

The solvent extraction of Yb(III) and Ho(III) by 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN or HL) in carbon tetrachloride from aqueous-methanol phase has been studied as a function ofpH ^× and the concentration ofPAN or methanol (MeOH) in the organic phase. When the aqueous phase contains above ～25%v/v of methanol the synergistic effect was increased. The equation for the extraction reaction has been suggested as: $$\begin{gathered} Ln(H_2 0)_{m(p)}^{3 + } + 3 HL_{(o)} + t MeOH_{(o)} \mathop \rightleftharpoons \limits^{K_{ex} } \hfill \\ LnL_3 (MeOH)_{t(o)} + 3 H_{(p)}^ + + m H_2 0 \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ where:Ln ³⁺=Yb, Ho; $$\begin{gathered} t = 3 for C_{MeOH in.} \varepsilon \left( { \sim 25 - 50} \right)\% {\upsilon \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {\upsilon \upsilon }} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} \upsilon }; \hfill \\ t = 0 for C_{MeOH in.} \varepsilon \left( { \sim 5 - 25} \right)\% {\upsilon \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {\upsilon \upsilon }} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} \upsilon } \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ . The extraction equilibrium constants (K _ex ) and the two-phase stability constants (β ₃ ^× ) for theLnL ₃(MeOH)₃ complexes have been evaluated.