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Liquid–liquid extraction of uranium from Egyptian phosphoric acid using a synergistic D2EHPA–DBBP mixture

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Abstract

Extraction of uranium from Egyptian phosphoric acid with synergistic mixture of di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and di-butyl butyl phosphonate (DBBP) is reported in this paper. The influence of various factors such as D2EHPA concentration, DBBP concentration, phosphoric acid concentration, contact time, aqueous: organic phase’s ratio (aq:org) and temperature on the degree of extraction has been established. The data on the effect of temperature on the extraction showed that the enthalpy change is −23.12 kJ/mol. Uranium extracted by D2EHPA–DBBP is further subjected to a second cycle of extraction and scrubbing impurities. The uranium is finally converted to a high purity UO3 product using precipitation with hydrogen peroxide and heat treatment at 375 °C.

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Abbreviations

D2EHPA:

Di-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid

DBBP:

Di-butyl butyl phosphonate

∆H :

Enthalpy (kJ/mol)

WPA:

Wet process phosphoric acid

TOPO:

Tri-octyl phosphine oxide

D u :

Distribution coefficient

DOPPA:

Di-octyl phenyl phosphoric acid

DNPPA:

Di-nonyl phenyl phosphoric acid

TBP:

Tri-butyl phosphate

R :

Universal gas constant (8.314 J/K mol)

T :

Absolute temperature (K)

EMF:

Electromotive force

K :

Equilibrium constant

Vorg/Vaq:

Volume ratio between organic phase and aqueous phase

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Acknowledgment

The authors wish to thank Dr. H. S. Gado Head of phosphoric acid pilot plant for his valuable help in carrying out the test work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

    Ahmed A. Abdel-Khalek

  2. Nuclear Material Authority, P.O. Box 530, El Maddi, Cairo, Egypt

    M. M. Ali, A. E. M. Hussein & A. F. Abdel-Magied

Authors
  1. Ahmed A. Abdel-Khalek
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  2. M. M. Ali
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  3. A. E. M. Hussein
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  4. A. F. Abdel-Magied
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Correspondence to A. F. Abdel-Magied.

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Abdel-Khalek, A.A., Ali, M.M., Hussein, A.E.M. et al. Liquid–liquid extraction of uranium from Egyptian phosphoric acid using a synergistic D2EHPA–DBBP mixture. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 288, 1–7 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0964-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-010-0964-z

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