Utility of Phenylacetic Acid as an Extracting Agent for Aluminum(III), Gallium(III) and Indium(III)

Abstract

The solvent extraction of aluminum(III), gallium(III) and indium(III) with phenylacetic acid using 1-octanol and benzene as solvent was performed at 25°C and at 0.1mol dm^-3 constant ionic strength in the aqueous phase (NaClO₄). The respective extraction constants of every extracted species in the present extraction systems were found to be larger than in the previous decanoic acid systems for these metal ions. The extraction of indium(III) phenylacetates was found to be distinct from that of aluminum(III) and gallium(III) in both systems using 1-octanol and benzene. Phenylacetic acid was found to be superior to decanoic acid as an extracting agent for these metal ions.