Extraction of Thorium and Uranium from Chloride Solutions by Tri-<i>n</i>-Butyl Phosphate and Tri-<i>n</i>-Octyl Phosphine Oxide

Abstract

The extraction of thorium and uranium chlorides by TBP and TOPO was studied. The composition of complexes extracted from the chloride solutions of low acid concentration was established by partition study to be UO2Cl2 (TOPO)2, UO2Cl4 (TOPO)2, UO2Cl4 (TOPO)2 and UCl4 (TBP)2. Composition of the thorium complex in the TBP phase free from hydrochloric acid was revealed by infrared study to be ThCl4 (TBP)4. The extraction behavior of thorium chloride by TBP was different from that of U (N) and Pu(N) chloride, and the composition of the complex was presumed to be HThCl5(TBP)4 in the extraction from concentrated chloride solution containing hydrochloric acid.