New Ionic Liquid Based on the CMPO Pattern for the Sequential Extraction of U(VI), Am(III) and Eu(III)

Extraction of U(VI), Eu(III) and Am(III) has been performed from acidic aqueous solutions (HNO3, HClO4) into the ionic liquid [C(4)mim][Tf2N] in which a new extracting task-specific ionic liquid, based on the CMPO unit {namely 1-[3-[2-(octylphenylphosphoryl)acetamido]propyl]-3-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonamide, hereafter noted OctPh-CMPO-IL}, was dissolved at low concentration (0.01 mol.L-1). EXAFS and UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements were performed to characterize the extracted species. The extraction of U(VI) is more efficient than the extraction of trivalent Am and Eu using this TSIL, for both acids and their concentration range. We obtained evidence that the metal ions are extracted as a solvate (UO2(OctPh-CMPO-IL)(3)) by a cation exchange mechanism. Nitrate or perchlorate ions do not play a direct role in the extraction by being part of the extracted complexes, but the replacement of nitric acid for perchloric acid entails a drop in the selectivity between U and Eu. However, our TSIL allows a sequential separation of U(VI) and Eu/Am(III) using the same HNO3 concentration and same nature of the organic phase, just by changing the ligand concentration.