Third phase formation in the extraction of phosphotungstic acid by TBP in n-octane.
- Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division
The solvent extraction of 12-phosphotungstic acid, also known as 12-tungstophosphoric acid-H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}, the so-called Keggin heteropolyacid - by 0.73 M (20%v/v) tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) in n-octane under conditions comparable to those used previously for the extraction of conventional inorganic mineral acids is described. A simplified phase diagram for the pentanary system comprised of H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}, HNO{sub 3}, H{sub 2}O, TBP, and n-octane reveals an extremely low initial concentration of H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40} (1.1 mM) at the LOC (limiting organic concentration) condition, far lower than the most effective third-phase-forming inorganic acid, namely HClO{sub 4}. The results from small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) indicate that the interparticle attraction energy - U(r) calculated through application of the Baxter sticky sphere model to the SANS data at the LOC condition - does not approach the -2 k{sub B} T value associated with phase splitting in previous studies of TBP third-phase formation. The third-phase formation model based on attractive interactions between polar cores of reverse micelles, successfully developed for TBP and other extraction systems does not apply to the extraction of H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}. Rather, the separation of a third-phase from the TBP organic phase stems from the limited solubility of the heavy and highly polar H{sub 3}PW{sub 12}O{sub 40}-TBP species in the alkane diluent.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- SC
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1018888
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/CSE/JA-66569
- Journal Information:
- Sep. Sci. Technol., Journal Name: Sep. Sci. Technol. Journal Issue: 12-13 ; Aug. 30, 2010 Vol. 45; ISSN 0149-6395
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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