SANS STUDY OF AGGREGATION OF THE COMPLEXES FORMED BY SELECTED METAL CATIONS AND P,P'-DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL) ETHANE- AND BUTANE-DIPHOSPHONIC ACIDS∗

ABSTRACT

The aggregation of several metal complexes formed during solvent extraction with P,P'-di(2-ethylhexyl) ethanediphosphonic acid, H₂DEH[EDP], and by P,P'-di(2-ethylhexyl) butanediphosphorac acid, H₂DEH[BuDP], in deuterated toluene, has been investigated by small angle neutron scattering (SANS). With H₂DEH[EDP], the extraction of Ca(II), La(IH) and U(VT) does not disrupt the cyclic hexameric structure of the ligand in solution. Fe(III) and Th(IV) complexes of H₂DEH[EDP], on the other hand, exhibit a very modest tendency to aggregate but only at very high metal loading in the organic phase. With H₂DEH[BuDP], the extraction of Ca(H), La(III), U(VI) and Th(IV) is not accompanied by significant aggregation of the metal complexes The Fe(HI)-H₂DEH[BuDP] complexes, however, form long cylindrical aggregates similar to those previously observed with P,P'di(2-ethylhexyl) methanediphosphonic acid, H₂DEH[MDP]. The aggregation behavior of the various metal-extractant species is discussed in light of the information obtained from earlier solvent extraction, vapor pressure osmometry, and infrared spectroscopy studies.

Notes

Work performed under the auspices of the Office of Basic Energy Science, Divisions of Chemical Science and Material Science, U.S.Department of Energy, under contract number W-31-109-ENG-38.