The Solvent Extraction of Fe (III) and U (VI) with Mixtures of Tri-n-octylamine and Thenoyltrifluoroacetone in Benzene and Nitrobenzene

Mixtures of tri-n-octylamine (TOA) chloride and thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA) in benzene extract Fe (III) from 0.5 M HCl better than any single extractant. The effect is attributed to the change in dielectric constant of the solvent with composition. In nitrobenzene there is no increase in the extraction of Fe (III) by the mixture. An enhanced extraction of U (VI) from 2 M HN03 takes place with mixtures of TOA-nitrate and HTTA both in benzene and nitrobenzene. If nitrobenzene is the diluent, experimental data indicate that the increase in the extraction is due to the formation of an organic species with a stoichiometric ratio U02 : H\u27!\u27TA : TOA of 1 : 1 : 1