Chem. J. Chinese Universities ›› 2019, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (1): 1.doi: 10.7503/cjcu20180133

• Inorganic Chemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Extraction of Trivalent Americium and Europiumfrom Nitric Acid Solution with Di(2-ethylhexyl)dithiophosphinic Acid

ZHANG Lirong1, WANG Zhipeng1, LIU Ying1, XU Chao2,*(), CHEN Jing2, DING Songdong1,*()   

  1. 1. College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
    2. Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
  • Received:2018-02-12 Online:2019-01-10 Published:2018-12-12
  • Contact: XU Chao,DING Songdong E-mail:xuchao@tsinghua.edu.cn;dsd68@163.com
  • Supported by:
    † Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.91426302, 11675115, 91126016).

Abstract:

The extraction of Am3+ and Eu3+ from HNO3 solution with di(2-ethylhexyl)dithiophosphinic acid(D2EHDTPA) were investigated using n-dodecane as diluent. Influences of acidity, ligand concentration, NO3- concentration and saponification on the extraction of Am3+ and Eu3+ were evaluated. The distribution ratio values of both Am3+ and Eu3+ increased with increasing pH values from 2.5 to 4.5, and also with increasing the ligand concentration from 0.10 mol/L to 0.50 mol/L. The maximum value of separation factor(SFAm/Eu) can reach 4000 at pH=3.65. Slope analyses indicated the main formation of 3:1 and 2:1 complexes of D2EHDTPA with Am3+ and Eu3+, respectively. The nitrate ion did not take part in the extraction reaction of D2EHDTPA with Am3+ or Eu3+. The extractability of D2EHDTPA was significantly enhanced through the saponification with NaOH solution. SFAm/Eu values could be improved to the magnitude of 104, and the extraction capacity was approximately 60% of the theoretical value. Furthermore, the complexation behaviors of D2EHDTPA with Eu3+ were also investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(ESI-MS), Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) and isothermal titration calorimetry(ITC). The composition and stability constants(lgβ) of the complex of D2EHDTPA with Eu3+, as well as the thermodynamic parameters(ΔH, ΔS and ΔG) were obtained.

Key words: Di(2-ethylhexyl)dithiophosphinic acid, Am3+, Eu3+, Extraction, Selectivity

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