Microscopic mechanism in solvent extraction of Au（CN）2^- by cationic surfactant

A new solvent extraction system of Au( Ⅰ ) by surfactant CTMAB-TBP-inert diluent-Au(CN)2^--H2O was investigated and established. The infrared spectra and the conductivities of loaded organic phases containing Au( Ⅰ ) were recorded stage by stage. It was reported that in the presence of salting-out agents the pencent extraction of Au( Ⅰ ) decreased, and the conversion of emulsions from W/O to O/W happened in the extraction processed.The results demonstrate that the extraction process of Au(CN)2^- is carried out by two steps. First, an associated molecule between CTMA+ and TBP, as (C16 H33 ) (CH3)3 N+ · H2O · O=P(OC4H9)3, is formed by dint of water molecule, then it will pull Au(CN)2^- into the organic phase based on the electro-neutrality.