Relationship between liquid nanoscale structure in solvents and the strength of the Hofmeister effect in extraction experiments?

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics Pub Date: 2021-02-26 DOI: 10.1039/D0CP05973K

Abstract

In this study, we used mixtures of carboxylic acids and amines as solvents for the liquid–liquid extraction of copper salts with various anions from aqueous phase, and systematically varied the acid/amine ratio to determine its influence on extraction efficiency. The organic phases resulting from these extraction experiments were studied using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), establishing a connection between the extraction process and the liquid structure. A relationship is found between the extent of extraction for the metal salt, the strength of the Hofmeister effect of the anions of the salt, and the characteristic lengthscale of the observed liquid nanoscale structure before and after extraction.

Graphical abstract: Relationship between liquid nanoscale structure in solvents and the strength of the Hofmeister effect in extraction experiments
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