Studies on the selectivity of cetrimide for uranium extraction from wet process phosphoric acid

Abstract

Cetrimide was proven to be an effective selective extractant for uranium from phosphoric acid solutions of comparable concentration to the wet process phosphoric acid (WPPA). Several experiments have thus been performed to determine the relevant factors of both uranium extraction and stripping using synthetic phosphoric acid of comparable P2O5 and U concentration to the commercial acid. The obtained optimum conditions have successfully been applied upon the phosphoric acid produced by Abu Zaabal Fertilizers and Chemicals Co. From the stripped liquor using 1M HCl, the stripped uranium from the latter acid was precipitated as ammonium diuranate which was confirmed by XRD analysis. The kinetic model of uranium extraction by cetrimide extractant from phosphoric acid was also studied. The data on the effect of temperature on uranium extraction by cetrimide showed that the enthalpy change is −19kJ/mol indicating its exothermic nature.