Solvent extraction of holmium and yttrium with bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid

This paper discusses a kinetic study on the solvent extraction of holmium(III) and yttrium(III) with bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) from nitrate media conducted at 303 K using a hollow fiber membrane extractor. Also studied were the distribution equilibria of these metals and interfacial adsorption equilibria of D2EHPA and its metal complexes between the organic and aqueous phases. It was found that the metals (M3+) were extracted with D2EHPA (HR) ad MR3 · 3HR into the organic phase, and the extraction equilibrium constants were evaluated. Furthermore, it was established that dimeric D2EHPA can be adsorbed at the interface between the organic and aqueous phases, while the interfacial activities of D2EHPA-metal complexes were negligibly small. The apparent orders 2, 1, and 2 of the permeabilities for the extraction of both metals were found with respect to the pH of the aqueous solution and the concentrations of the metal ion and dimeric D2EHPA, while the orders 1, 1, and -1 of the permeabilities for the stripping of both metals were found with respect to the hydrogen ion activity and the concentrations of the metal complex and dimeric D2EHPA, respectively. The diffusional effects were reasonably explained by the diffusion model accompanied by an interfacial reaction, taking into account the velocity distributions of the aqueous and organic phases through the inner and outer sides of a hollow fiber