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Title: EXTRACTION OF NIOBIUM-95 FROM NITRIC ACID SOLUTIONS WITH TRI-n-BUTYL PHOSPHATE

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4820665· OSTI ID:4820665

The distribution coefficient (DC o/a) of Nb/sup 95/ between aqueous nitric acid and 30% Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) in n-dodecane increased from ~0.004 to O.1 N acid deficient solution to 0.05 in 4 M HNO/sub 3/ for the extractable portion of the niobium. Greater than 70% of the niobium was unextractable. The presence of 3% chemically degraded TBP, 7% chemically degraded Amsco, or both decreased the amount of unextractable niobium to <20% and degraded TBP increased the distribution of the extractable portion. The aqueous solubility of the niobium extractant in the degraded reagents varied inversely with the acidity of the aqueous phase. The maximum DC o/a from acid deficient solutions containing solvent degradation products was ~0.008. The organic to aqueous DC o/a were higher than the aqueous to organic values for all solutions examined. Niobium retention was maximum by solvents containing both degraded TBP and Amsco, increasing from 6% to ~50% as the aqueous acidity decreases from 5 to O.1 M HNO/sub 3/. Nb/sup 95/ was removed from nitric acid solutions containing 20 g/liter Zr and Zr/sup 95/ by adsorption on unfired Vycor glass. (auth)

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
NSA Number:
NSA-16-023787
OSTI ID:
4820665
Report Number(s):
ORNL-3285
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English