Influence of the Nature of Diluent on the Extractability of N,N,N',N'-Tetrabutyldiglycolamide for Eu(III), Am(III), and Cm(III)

Abstract

The effect of HNO₃ concentration on the extraction of Eu(III), Am(III), and Cm(III) with N,N,N',N'-tetrabutyldiglycolamide was studied in 5 different diluents: nitrobenzene, toluene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane. The distribution coefficients of these metals as a function of the nature of the diluent in the following series of compounds was established: nitrobenzene > m-trifluoromethylnitrobenzene > mixture of n-dodecane with decanol-1 (volume ratio 90 : 10) > carbon tetrachloride > 1,2-dichloroethane > benzene > 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane > toluene > chloroform. The conditions for the partioning Eu(III)/Am(III) and Am(III)/Cm(III) pairs were found. An explanation was proposed for the observed increase in the separation factors of the Am(III)/Cm(III) pair with increasing concentration of nitric acid in the equilibrium aqueous phase.