title: Characterization of the species formed during the extraction of thorium employing tri-n-butyl phosphate and N,N-dihexyl octanamide as extractants by laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
abstract: Laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF-MS) has been applied to identify and characterize the organic phase species formed during the extraction of thorium nitrate by 1.1 M tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) and N,N-dihexyl octanamide (DHOA) solutions in n-dodecane. The aqueous phase thorium concentrations (at 4M HNO3) have been suitably chosen to get Loaded organic phases with/without third-phase. The extracted species have been characterized for the first time using LDI-ToF-MS. The results show feasibility of the use of this technique for understanding the extraction mechanisms and third-phase formation behavior of different extractants. The different chemical species observed using this technique are consistent with those observed by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS).
authors.affiliation: Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.affiliation: Applied Spectroscopy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jayasekharan
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Vatsac
authors.affiliation: Radiochemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085, India.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mohapatra