The Hafnium-Selective Extraction Fom a Zirconium(Hafnium) Heptafluoride Ammonium Solution Using Organophosphorus-Based Extractants

ABSTRACT

The suitability of the organophosphorus-based extractants, DiOPA, Ionquest 801 and D2EHPA was evaluated for the selective extraction of Zr and Hf from an (NH₄)₃Zr(Hf)F₇ acidic solution using both dispersive and pertraction solvent extraction (SX). A stock solution of (NH₄)₃Zr(Hf)F₇ was dissolved in either HCl or H₂SO₄ (0.1–8 M). The following extraction variables were investigated: type and concentration of the acidic solution, the contact time, and extractant to metal ratio. Subsequently, the stripping was investigated using (NH₄)₂CO₃, CaCl₂, H₂SO₄ and C₂H₂O₄ in the concentration ranges of 0–2 M. During extraction, scrubbing and stripping using D2EHPA, CaCl₂ and C₂H₂O₄, the Zr purity was increased from 97.2% to 99.0%. When extracting from 4 M H₂SO₄ with 9 wt% D2EHPA, a Hf selectivity of 32% was observed where after stripping with C₂H₂O₄ resulted in a 98.7% recovery of Zr. With 1.2 M CaCl₂ as stripping liquor, almost no Hf and 75% Zr stripping was obtained. During the pertraction 72% Hf and 44% Zr extraction was achieved after 180 min when extracting with 9 wt% D2EHPA from 4 M H₂SO₄. Pertraction based stripping with 1.2 M C₂H₂O₄ yielded 75% of both Zr and Hf, while stripping with 2 M CaCl₂ resulted in 58% Hf stripped with almost no Zr stripping.