Simulation of the rutherfordium behavior in dilute solutions of H2SO4 and H2SO4/HF by ion-exchange chromatography

The behavior of Hf(IV), Pu(TV), and Th(IV) (as homolog and pseudohomologs of rutherfordium, respectively), Sr(II) (as homolog of nobelium), and other elements (Am, Cm, and Eu) on Dowex-50 x 8 cation exchanger and Dowex-l x 8 anion exchanger in solutions of H2SO4 and H2SO4/HF was studied as influenced by the concentration of acids varied in the intervals of 10(-1)-1 M H2SO4 and 10(-4)-1 M HF in 0.05 M H2SO4. The effect of HF in solutions of H2SO4 on the distribution coefficients of Hf is significantly higher than in the case of Sr and Eu, and actinides (Cm and Pu), which is probably related to stronger tendency of d-transition elements to form fluoride and sulfate-fluoride complexes in mixed H2SO4/HF solutions. The optimal conditions for separation of the Group NE elements of the periodic system from Sr, Eu and actinides (Cm and Pu) were determined. The outlet elution curves of Hf-181 from the cation-and anion-exchange columns under the conditions simulating recovery of (261)Rf from irradiated targets were registered. The possibility of predicting the chemical properties of short-lived heavy and transactinide elements by comparative investigation of their lighter homologs and pseudohomologs in various solutions is discussed.