Extraction of Zr(IV) from hydrochloric acid with tri-octyl amine and Cyanex 921 in kerosene

This article reports the extraction of zirconium (IV) from aqueous HCl solution by tri-octyl amine (TOA), Cyanex 921, and their binary mixture using kerosene as the diluent. The effect of some parameters on the extraction of Zr(IV) was investigated such as equilibration time, aqueous phase acidity, extractant molarity, chloride ion concentration, nature of diluents, and temperature. The extraction of Zr(IV) was found to be 99% from 7.5 M HCl using the mixture of extractants containing 0.1 M TOA and 0.02 M Cyanex 921 in kerosene. Kerosene was found to be the effective diluent for the extraction of Zr(IV) with the binary mixture of TOA and Cyanex 921. The positive enthalpy change and positive entropy change in the binary extraction system show the endothermic process with an increase in entropy. Stripping of Zr(IV) from the loaded organic phase containing the mixture of TOA (0.1 M) and Cyanex 921 (0.02 M) indicates that HNO₃ and Na₂CO₃ are the best stripping agents.