RESIN ION EXCHANGE AND LIQUID-LIQUID EXTRACTION OF INDIUM AND THALLIUM FROM CHLORIDE MEDIA

Separation procedures of indium and thallium for both future investigation of superheavy element 113 and fundamental research of its light homologues have been developed. Two chemical methods, namely ion exchange and solvent extraction, have been applied. Cation exchange behavior in hydrochloric acid media and the reversibility of the In and Tl elution order due to oxidation state of the latter are described. Extraction of Tl(I), Tl(III), and In(III) from aqueous HCl solutions with and without tri-n-butyl phosphate into the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide has been investigated. The extraction efficiencies of Tl(I) and In(III) have been found to be much lower than those of Tl(III) both with and without an organic ligand. The extraction mechanism is suggested. Suggestions for both liquid and gas phase experiments aimed at element 113 studies have been considered based on the results observed.