Hydrogen-free regeneration of dithiophosphorus metal extractants

摘要

This is a method of regenerating dithiophosphorus acids from disulfides containing sulfur-sulfur bonds, formed by oxidation of dithiophosphorus acids, such as sulfur-sulfur bonding of dithiophosphoric, dithiophosphonic and dithiophosphinic acids, in a solvent extraction organic phase in which the dithiophosphorus acid is dissolved in a diluent. This process reacts metal directly with the organic solution containing the disulfide to produce a metal loaded complex form of the regenerated dithiophosphorus extractant in the organic solution. This metal complex forms by direct reaction of the metal with the disulfides without requiring the presence or the formation of nascent or gaseous hydrogen. The organic solution containing the regenerated dithiophosphorus extractant can be either directly recycled into a solvent extraction circuit or recycled after the loaded metal is stripped.