Extraction of Nitric Acid into Alcohol: Kerosene Mixtures

Nitric acid extraction from 0.1 mol/L - 5 mol/L nitric acid into varied volume fractions (5%-100%) of long-chain aliphatic alcohols (1-hexanol, 1-octanol, 2-ethylhexanol, 1-decanol) in alkanes (different kerosenes, n-dodecane, isooctane) was measured. At equal molar alcohol concentration, 1-hexanol, 1-octanol, and 1-decanol extract equal amounts of nitric acid. The amount of nitric acid extracted into 2-ethylhexanol is approxmately half compared to 1-octanol. The alkane does not influence nitric acid extraction. Extraction can accurately be calculated taking into account the formation of a species (HNO3)(ROH)2. Due to the change in diluent properties with alcohol volume fraction, conditional equilibrium constants must be used.