Synergistic Effect of D2EHPA and Cyanex 272 on Separation of Zinc and Manganese by Solvent Extraction

The effect of bis-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid (D2EHPA), bis (2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid (Cyanex 272), and tri-butyl phosphate (TBP) and their mixtures in various proportions for the separation and extraction of zinc and manganese from sulfate solutions were investigated. Experiments were carried out in the pH range of 0.5-5.0 at 25, 40, and 60 degrees C. It was shown that the extraction of zinc and manganese by D2EHPA and/or Cyanex 272 can be increased by the increase in pH and temperature. The synergistic extraction and separation of zinc and manganese with a mixture of D2EHPA and Cyanex 272 was studied and the results showed that mixing the two extractants improved the extraction capacity of the mixture. Increasing the D2EHPA to Cyanex 272 ratio in the organic phase, caused a right shifting of extraction isotherms of manganese and zinc; shifting the manganese curve was more than zinc. The manganese curve had considerable right shifting with 5% D2EHPA and 15% Cyanex 272. TBP did not affect the zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) extraction. The stoichiometric coefficients of Zn and Mn were determined with 20% and 5% D2EHPA and 15% Cyanex 272 by applying the slope analysis method. The organic phase was stripped by sulfuric acid.