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THE EFFECT OF ALKYL AMINE TYPE ON THE EXTRACTION OF NITRIC ACID AND NITROSYLRUTHENIUM NITRATO COMPLEXES

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4698342

An investigation of the solvent extraction characteristics of nitric acid and the nitrato complexes of nitrosylruthenium was conducted, using alkyl amines as extractants. The alkyl amines used were a primary amine Primene JMT, a tertiary amine trilaurylamine (TLA), and a quaternary amine Aliquat 336. The organic phase concentrations of HNO/sub 3/ resulting during extraction by alkyl amines were found to correlate well on the basis of the undissociated aqueous HNO/ sub 3/ activity for both salted (NaNO/sub 3/) and unsalted aqueous phases. The distribution ratios for Ru extraction showed better correlation on this basis than on the basis of aqueous phase nitrate and nitric acid. The order of decreasing Ru extraction at low HNO/sub 3/ concentration (2N) was found to be Aliquat 336, TLA, and Primene JMT. At high HNO/sub 3/ concentration (9N). Primene JMT had the highest Ru extractability. Hapid dilution experiments were utilized to determine the number and aqueous phase concentrations of the extractable species of Ru, and the amine partition coefficients for the species. It was found that two Ru species are extractable, and the more extractable species is present in the aqueous phase at lower concentration than the less extractable species. The mole fractions of both species were found to increase with increasing HNO/sub 3/ concentration. The TLA partition coefficients for the extractable species were found to decrease with increasing HNO/sub 3/ concentration. The quaternary amine, Aliquat 336, was found to have partition coefficients an order of magnitude greater than the tertiary amine, TLA. Equations for the mole fractions and TLA partition coefficients in the region of HNO/sub 3/ concentration investigated were developed. (auth)

Research Organization:
Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
NSA Number:
NSA-17-020099
OSTI ID:
4698342
Report Number(s):
MITNE-30
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English