THE RELATIVE EFFECTS OF THE URANYL SULFATE COMPLEXES ON THE RATE OF EXTRACTION OF URANIUM FROM ACIDIC AQUEOUS SULFATE SOLUTIONS

Abstract

At constant sulfuric acid activity, constant low total uranium concentration and constant extractant concentration, 1.07 M ionic strength (HCIO/ sub 4/ and NaCIO/sub 4/ added) and the organic phase, kerosene, was studied. A log-log plot of DBP concentration in the organic phase vs. that in the aqueous phase gave straight lines of slope 2 up to a certain point, above which the slope increased, indicating the existence of polymers higher than two in the organic phase. Addition of H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/ to the aqueous phase increased the DBP partition in the organic phase. The reactions are postulated to be (1) 2 DBP(aq) = (DBP)/sub 2/(org) and (2) (DBP)/sub 2/(org) + x H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/(aq (2 DBP - x H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/)(org). The data gave a distribution constant of 325 plus or minus 12 M/sup -10/ for reaction (1) and a formation constant of 0.31 plus or minus 0.03 for reaction (2), with x = 1.8 plus or minus 0.1. (D.L.C.)