Adsorption of lanthanides(III) from aqueous solutions by fullerene black modified with di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid

Fullerene black (FB) - a product of electric arc graphite vaporization after extraction of fullerenes - was modified with the di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA). The distribution of D2EHPA between FB and aqueous HNO₃ solutions has been studied. The effect of HNO₃ concentration in the aqueous phase and that of D2EHPA concentration in the sorbent phase on the adsorption of microquantities of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and Y nitrates from HNO₃ solutions by D2EHPA-modified FB are considered. The stoichiometry of the sorbed complexes has been determined by the slope analysis method. The efficiency of lanthanides’ adsorption increases with an increase in the element atomic number. A considerable synergistic effect has been observed upon the addition of the neutral bidentate tetraphenylmethylenediphosphine dioxide ligand to D2EHPA in the sorbent phase.