Enhancement of the Mutual Separation of Lanthanide Elements in the Solvent Extraction Based on the CMPO-TBP Mixed Solvent by Using a DTPA-Nitrate Solution

Abstract

The mutual separation behavior of rare earth elements was studied in the system based on the neutral extractant CMPO (n-octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoyl methylphosphine oxide) and aminopolyacetic acid DTPA (diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid). The extractability of lanthanides decreased monotonously with increasing of atomic number in the system of 0.2 M CMPO-1.0 M TBP-n-dodecane (TRUEX solvent) and 0.05 M DTPA-NaNCO3 or hydroxylamine nitrate (HAN) solution. The separation factor of La/Lu was 6,600 using 0.05 M DTPA-3M NaNO3 solution (initial pH=2.0). The mutual separation of lanthanides in the CMPO/DTPA system was greatly improved when compared with the general TRUEX system. The separation factor was not affected by the initial pH of the solution (1.8–2.2), the salting out reagent (NaNO3 and HAN), or its concentration (2, 3 M). The experimentally obtained separation factors of lanthanide elements were reproduced by a simple model based on the distribution ratios in the TRUEX extraction system and the stability constants of DTPA-metal complex. The mutual separation between light lanthanides is attributed to the selectivity of DTPA, while CMPO mainly influences the separation of heavy lanthanides.