Open AccessExtraction of Uranium from Aqueous Solution of Nitric Acid and Organic Solvent Using Ionic Liquid
Author(s) -
Pradeep Kumar,
Ashok Khanna
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
asian journal of chemistry/asian journal of chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 0975-427X
pISSN - 0970-7077
DOI - 10.14233/ajchem.2021.22916
Subject(s) - chemistry , ionic liquid , nitric acid , uranium , extraction (chemistry) , aqueous solution , imide , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , liquid–liquid extraction , organic chemistry , catalysis , materials science , metallurgy
In present study, tri-n-butylphosphate (TBP), a classical complexing agent for metallic cations, hasbeen studied for the extraction of uranium into ionic liquids (ILs): 1-butyl-3-methylimidazoliumbis(tri-fluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][TF2N]) and trihexyl-tetradecylphosphonium-bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([P(14)666][TF2N]). Increasing HNO3 acidity of aqueous solution from 0.01to 1 M the distribution ratio, DU decreases from 16 to 1.2 for 1.1 M TBP in [BMIM][TF2N] and thecorresponding extraction efficiency (% E) varies from ~94 to 55. In the acidic range of 1 to 8 M DUand % E shows reversal trend of giving a local maximum at 8 M. This behaviour is compared andvalidates by literature. In contrast, on increasing in aqueous acidity from 0.01 to 8 M the extraction ofuranium into [P(14)666][TF2N] ionic liquid, DU enhances from 2 to 39 and (%E) goes up from ~ 51 to 95.Since, [P(14)666][TF2N] works better than [BMIM][TF2N] in the acidic range > 0.1. This ionic liquidhas been used for selective separation of uranium from strontium giving a DU of 63 and DSr of 2 with98% E of uranium at 8 M acidity. To confirm the various species and groups in the formed complex,FTIR studies have been conducted.