Mass transfer kinetics of yttrium(III) using a constant interfacial cell with laminar flow. Part I. Extraction with Cyanex 302

The interfacial tension is measured for Cyanex 302 in heptane and adsorption parameters are calculated according to Gibbs equation and Szyskowski isotherm. The results indicate that Cyanex 302 has a high interfacial activity, allowing easy extraction reaction to take place at the liquid–liquid interface. The extraction kinetics of yttrium(III) with Cyanex 302 in heptane are investigated by a constant interfacial cell with laminar flow. The effects of stirring rate, temperature and specific interfacial area on the extraction rate are discussed. The results suggest that the extraction kinetics is a mixed regime with film diffusion and an aqueous one-step chemical reaction proposed to be the rate-controlling step. Assuming the mass transfer process can be formally treated as a pseudo-first-order reversible reaction with respect to the metal cation, the rate equation for the extraction reaction of yttrium(III) with Cyanex 302 at pH < 5 is obtained as follows:Rf=10−7.85[Y(OH)2+](a)[H2A2](o)1.00[H+](a)−1.00Diffusion parameters and rate constants are calculated through approximate solutions of the flux equation.