Separation factors of lanthanides extracted with dibutylphosphate

Abstract

Extraction coefficients and separation factors of all lanthanides in the diluted aqueous HDBP—HNO3 system were determined in the temperature range 10–50 °C. Essential differences were noticed between the results obtained for light (La—Gd) and heavy (Gd—Lu) lanthanides. It was found that the selectivity of the investigated system, in the case of heavy lanthanides, is as high as that observed for the best organophosphorous extractants: HEHϕP and HDEHP. The sequence of the separation factors shows the pattern of regularities (the double-double effect) within the whole series of lanthanides and within the whole investigated temperature range.