Industrial synergistic extraction

A combination of known extractants can increase the net extraction both in degree and kinetics through synergistic extraction. This subject also is poorly explored, though it is of considerable importance to industrial solvent extraction processes. 

Cordier, P.Y., Francois, N., Boubals, N., Madic, C., Hudson, M.J., Liljenzin J.O. 1999. Synergistic systems for the selective extraction of trivalent actinides from mixtures of trivalent actinides and lanthanides. In Solvent Extraction for the 21st Century, Proceedings of International Solvent Extraction Conference, ISEC 1999,. Cox, M., Hidalgo, M.,. Valiente, M. Eds. Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) London, Vol. 1, 317-322. 

In the case of separation of Ni ions, 8-hydroxyquinoline and the industrial extractant Kelex 100 were used in water/SDS/butanol or pentanol/dodecane microemulsions. The kinetic and mechanistic formalisms in the extraction process were worked out by Tondre and coworkers [144,147]. To understand the coupled transport, crown ether or Kelex 100 were used by Derouiche and Tondre [143]. In several instances of metal ion transport, synergistic effects were observed the results were explained on the basis of carrier diffusion in the stagnant layers. 

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