Effect of Interfacial Activity on Silver Extraction Rate with Calix[4]arene Derivatives in Nitrate Media

Abstract

arene derivatives as extraction reagents have been prepared to investigate silver extraction rate in nitrate media by batch-wise method. The interfacial tension was also measured by the drop volume method to investigate the effect of interfacial activity on silver extraction rate with the calix[4]arene derivatives in chloroform / nitric acid media by varying the concentrations of the extraction reagent and nitric acid. Interfacial activities of calix[4]arene derivatives were evaluated by comparing the obtained interfacial tension values. The interfacial excess and the average area per the adsorbed extractant molecule at chloroform / nitric acid interface were estimated from the Gibbs' adsorption equation and were used to investigate the relationship with silver extraction by using calix [4]arene derivatives in nitrate media. From the result, silver extraction rate with calix[4]arene derivatives in nitrate media was significantly related to their interfacial activities.