THE LIQUID SURFACTANT MEMBRANE PROCESS - EFFECT OF THE EMULSIFIER TYPE ON COPPER-EXTRACTION BY LIX65N-LIX63 MIXTURES

In order to investigate the role of the emulsifier type in the liquid surfactant membrane (LSM) extraction process, a comparative study of the performance of four different emulsifiers, Span 80 (active ingredient: sorbitan monoocleate), Arlacel 83 (active ingredients: sorbitan mono- and dioleates), Span 85 (active ingredient: sorbitan trioleate), and Brij 72 (active ingredient: polyoxyethylene(2)stearyl ether) in LSM copper extraction systems has been undertaken. The experimental techniques employed included interfacial tension, membrane-phase viscosity, emulsion viscosity, membrane stability (as determined by K** plus transfer from the internal to the external phase) and LSM copper transfer measurements.