Tailoring phase modifiers for selective uranium extraction: conventional and phosphate ores
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: . 5 vol% industrial conditions), while in Mine B, U/Mo increases from 377 to 1459 at 22 vol%, with optimal U/Zr selectivity between 10-50 vol%. In contrast, the phosphate-based Mine C exhibits a weakly structured organic phase, with dimer-dominated extractant species and limited sensitivity to phase modifier addition; optimal selectivity is achieved at low modifier content, where 2 vol% EXXAL 13 increases the U/Fe ratio from 61 to 214. These results highlight the importance of system-specific phase modifier optimization for maximizing uranium selectivity. SAXS analysis further reveals that extractant molecules self-assemble into reverse aggregates whose structure and inter-aggregate interactions are strongly influenced by phase modifier concentration. Crucially, these structural modifications directly correlate with selectivity variations, demonstrating that phase modifier effects are fundamentally mediated through changes in extractant aggregation in the organic phase.
Source: Dalton Transactions
DOI: 10.1039/d6dt01684g
Institutions: École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Institut de Chimie Séparative de Marcoule, Université de Montpellier, Institut des Sciences et technologies pour une Economie Circulaire des énergies bas carbone
Language: English
Subfield: Inorganic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7223662194