CHROMATOGRAPHIC STUDY OF RUTHERFORDIUM (ELEMENT-104) IN THE SYSTEM HCL TRIBUTYLPHOSPHATE (TBP)/

Liquid-liquid extractions of Zr-95 and Hf-175 from Various concentrati ons of HCl were conducted using tributylphosphate (TBP) in toluene (be nzene), and undiluted TBP. Quantitative extraction of both Zr and Hf i nto TBP in toluene (benzene) was observed from greater than or equal t o 8 M HCl and into undiluted TBP from greater than or equal to 10 M HC l. Extraction from 8 M HCl into undiluted TBP was 80% for Zr and 20% f or Hf. Based on these results, a chromatogaphic separation of Hf from Zr with the Automated Rapid Chemistry Apparatus ARCA II was performed on 1.6x8mm columns containing undiluted TBP on an inert support. This separation was also studied on-line with short-lived Hf-169 produced i n the Gd(O-18,xn) reaction and with 78-s Hf-169 produced in the Cm-248 (O-18,5n) reaction at the Philips Cyclotron of the Paul Scherrer Insti tute. From the distribution of alpha-decays of (261)Rf between the Hf- and Zr-fraction, the K-d-value for Rf in 8 M HCl was determined, and t he following extraction trend was established: Zr > Rf > Hf. This is a t variance with earlier results where Rf seemingly did not extract as well as Hf which was tentatively attributed to increased hydrolysis of Rf.