EXTRACTION OF URANIUM INTO A 3RD PHASE OF THORIUM NITRATE TRIBUTYL-PHOSPHATE

Extraction of 0.05-0.25 M uranyl nitrate into 30%, tributyl phosphate (TBP) in dodecane from nitric acid solutions of thorium nitrate at equilibrium with its salt has been studied. Under investigated conditions a third (second organic) phase is formed. As the heavy organic phase extracts uranium, the calculated ratio of TBP to thorium and uranium sum decreases from 2.7 to less than 2. Electronic spectra show that in heavy organic phase approximately 80% of uranium is found as trinitrate complex, while in the light organic phase this complex is not detected. The measurements of dielectric constant (epsilon) of the heavy phase reveal a frequency dependence of epsilon. The data obtained point to the existence of an ordered structure in the heavy organic phase.