Separation of stable isotopes of alkali and alkaline earth metals in chemical exchange systems with crown ethers

Chemical isotope exchange in two-phase water - organic systems Men+ (water) - MeLn+ (org), where Me = Li, Ca, K, Mg; L = crown ethers with 5 to 6 oxygen atoms in macrocyclic ring; org = CHCl3, CH2Cl2 has been studied. The process of isotope separation has been realized by extraction chromatography. The chromatographic column contained a fixed aqueous phase. The organic solution of metal complex with crown ether was eluted through the column. On contact with the fixed aqueous phase in the course of chromatography, metal salt reextraction occurred and interphase isotope exchange between aqueous and organic phases resulted. Isotope separation factors in these systems were in the range of: 1.0032 - 1.020 (6Li/7Li), 1.0016 - 1.0038 (40Ca/44Ca), 1.0007 - 1.0011 (39K/41K), 1.0014 - 1.0044 (24Mg/26Mg). The theoretical model has been proposed to interpret the high separation factors in crown ether extraction systems. According to this model, the potential in such systems has a very flat bottom. This type of potential results in weakening the force field and decreasing of β-factor (i.e., (s/s')f) in spite of comparatively high energy of complexation. This model can interpret both high separation factors and their strong dependence on the type of crown ether. (author)