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Separation among rubidium and potassium ions from salt lake brines remains challenging. In this work, a typical room temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-metyhlimidazaolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C2mim+][NTf2–]) was used as diluent and synergistic extractant, dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6) was used as extractant to extract rubidium ions from brine solutions which contain high concentrations of potassium ions was investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the single extraction efficiency of rubidium ions was up 93.63%. The thermodynamic parameters of the rubidium ion extraction were obtained. Based on the slope analysis method, the extracted species in the organic phase were ascertained as 1:1 complex. UV-visible has been performed to investigate the ion concentration of ionic liquid before and after the interaction of metal ions and ligands. Rubidium ions in [Rb · DCH18C6]+ complex were stripped by 2.5 mol · L–1 NH4NO3. The extraction system offers high efficiency, simplicity and environmentally friendly application prospect to separate rubidium from brine solutions.

Application of 1-butyl-3-metyhlimidazaolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4mim][PF6]), in the extraction of rubidium and cesium from brine solutions using 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane (18C6) as extractant was investigated. Parameters that affect the extraction including pH of aqueous phase, equilibration time, dosage of the ionic liquid, phase ratio, concentration of 18C6 were studied. Under the optimal conditions, the single extraction efficiency of rubidium ions and cesium ions were up 84.11% and 94.99%, respectively. The stripping of alkali metal ions from the loaded organic phase with different stripping agents and concentrations were also investigated. The initial value of the K/Cs and K/Rb ratios were 93.0 and 104.3, respectively, which have dropped 91.21% and 88.01%, respectively, after the extraction and stripping experiments. It was taken a big step in the separation and enrichment of cesium (rubidium) ion and potassium ion. The extraction mechanism was revealed most likely to be a cation exchange mode in this system.