THE NEUTRAL ORGANOPHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS AS EXTRACTANTS

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Nuclear Science and Engineering (U.S.)

OSTI ID:4636565

Burger, L L

The neutral organophosphorus derivatives: phosphines, phosphine oxides, phosphinates, phosphonates, amd phosphates are briefly reviewed. All form metal complexes and all except perhaps the first were studied in some detail in connection with solvent extraction. The physical and chemical properties of these compounds are considered as is the mechanism of extraction for acids and metal salts. Most extractions are straightforward consisting of hydrogen bonding for acids and solvation for neutral salts. The strength of these complexes can often be correlated with infrared or nuclear magnetic resonance shifts. Metals display a wide range of extractibility depending on the reagent (solvent and diluent), the aqueous anion, the water activity, and the acidity. Selective extraction is often found for nitrate, perchlorate, perhaloacetate, and some chelating acid salts. Because of the relative simplicity of the solvation complexes and the variability in the solvent strength of the different phosphorus esters, several attempts at thermodynamic studies of the extraction process were made. Rigorous treatment of most systems is seen to be difficult and the results were only moderately satisfactory. Some recent work is discussed. For large scale uraniumplutonium processing, tributyl phosphate is firmly entrenched. Several alternatives were considered including both alkyl and phenyl phosphonates. For small-scale applications and for analytical separations the more expensive phosphinates and phosphine oxides may be useful. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Richland, Wash.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-037308
• OSTI ID: 4636565
• Journal Information: Nuclear Science and Engineering (U.S.), Journal Name: Nuclear Science and Engineering (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 16; ISSN NSENA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACETATES
ACIDITY
ALKYL RADICALS
BINDING ENERGY
BUTYL PHOSPHATES
CHELATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COMPLEXES
ESTERS
HYDROGEN
INFRARED RADIATION
NITRATES
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PERCHLORIC ACID
PHENYL RADICALS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM
REACTION KINETICS
SALTS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
SPECTRAL SHIFT
URANIUM
WATER