Solvent Extraction of Palladium(II) with Various Ketones from Nitric Acid Medium

Abstract

Solvent extraction of Pd(II) with various ketones in nitrobenzene from nitric acid medium was investigated. In this study, seventeen commercially available ketones were selected as representatives of alkyl ketones. It was found that several ketones effectively extracted Pd(II) from nitric acid medium. Methylalkylketones, such as 2‐octanone, 2‐nonanone, 2‐undecanone, 2‐tridecanone, and ketones containing symmetrical alkyl configuration, such as 5‐nonanone, 5‐decanone, 5‐undecanone, and 6‐undecanone exhibited significant extraction of Pd(II) from nitric acid. Particularly, 2‐tridecanone and 2‐nonanone showed efficient extractability for Pd(II) and their extraction behavior was fully investigated. With these extractants the partitioning of Pd(II) to the organic phase was significant at a ligand concentration of 3.0 M and acidity above 2.0 M.

Keywords:

• Palladium
• solvent extraction
• nuclear fuel reprocessing
• alkyl ketones

Acknowledgements

Nguyen Trong Hung gratefully acknowledges the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of the Japanese Government for a MEXT fellowship program.