Extraction of uranium(VI) from sulfate solutions using a polymer inclusion membrane containing di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid

In this study a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) for the extraction and separation of uranium (UO22+) from acidic sulfate solutions is detailed. Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) based PIMs containing the following commercial extractants were screened for their ability to extract uranium: Alamine 336, Cyanex 272, Aliquat 336, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA), and tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP). The membrane containing 40% (m/m) D2EHPA is shown to be the most effective in the quantitative extraction and back extraction of uranium using sulfuric acid solutions. Facilitated transport of uranium across the membrane against its concentration gradient is demonstrated with uranium fluxes as high as 4.85 × 10−7 mol m−2 s−1. A new method for determining the stoichiometry of extracted complexes in both membrane and solvent extraction systems has revealed the composition of the UO22+–D2EHPA complex to be UO2·A2·(HA)2 where HA and A− are D2EHPA and its conjugated base, respectively.

Research highlights▶ Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) made of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and PVC have been found to extract U(VI) completely from sulfate solutions. ▶ These PIMs can transport U(VI) against the concentration gradient. ▶ A new method for determining the stoichiometry of complexes extracted in PIMs has been proposed and applied to the determination of the stoichiometry of the U(VI)-D2EHPA complex inside the PIMs studied.