Preparation of titanium dioxide nanostructure from ilmenite through sulfate-leaching process and solvent extraction by D2EHPA

In this study, TiO2 nanoparticles have been obtained from low-grade ilmenite ore via two consecutive acid digestion and solvent extraction processes. The as-extracted TiO2 (Anatase phase) product was characterized using techniques such as XRD, XRF, FESEM, FTIR and BET surface area. Diluted sulfuric acid and D2EHPA (bis-(2-ethyl-hexyl) phosphoric acid) were used as digester agent and an extraction solvent, respectively. The effects of main parameters such as recycling capacities and D2EHPA concentration, as well as the extraction time and temperature on TiO2 extraction were investigated. The results demonstrated that the best performance and efficiency for titanium and total iron uptake were 99 and 3.8%, respectively, at the lowest concentration of D2EHPA.