Abstract
Extraction of actinides and lanthanides from nitric acid media with 4-(di-n-alkylphosphoryl)-4-methylpentan-2-one derivatives with different lengths of alkyl substituents at the phosphorus atom [hexyl (C6), octyl (C8), and decyl (C10)] was studied. High selectivity was demonstrated in the extractive separation of uranium(VI), thorium(IV), and rare earth elements (REEs) with the separation factor for U(VI) and the sum of REEs SFU(VI)/ΣREE > 4500 and for thorium(IV) and the sum of REEs SFTh(IV)/ΣREE > 5000. The influence of alkyl radicals at the phosphorus atom on the extraction capacity for f-elements was shown. The extraction capacity increases in the series C6 < C8 < C10. Isotherms of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) extraction with γ-(dialkylphosphoryl) ketones C6, C8 and C10 were obtained.