Separation of Neodymium (III) and Lanthanum (III) via a Flat Sheet-Supported Liquid Membrane with Different Extractant-Acid Systems

The increasing demand for neodymium (Nd) permanent magnets in electric motors has revived research interest of Nd recovery and separation from other rare earth elements (REEs). Typically, Nd/La separation is necessary for Nd recovery from primary ores and secondary resource recycling. This research...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lin Li, Ben Yu, Krystal Davis, Aaron King, Mauro Dal-Cin, Andrzej Nicalek, Naiying Du
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
Series:Membranes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/12/1197
Description
Summary:The increasing demand for neodymium (Nd) permanent magnets in electric motors has revived research interest of Nd recovery and separation from other rare earth elements (REEs). Typically, Nd/La separation is necessary for Nd recovery from primary ores and secondary resource recycling. This research used a flat sheet-supported liquid membrane (FSSLM) with different extractant-acid systems to extract Nd from a Nd/La mixture. The recovery and separation of Nd/La with 204P-H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, 507P-HCl, and TBP-HNO<sub>3</sub> were discussed. The results showed effective Nd recovery and promising Nd/La selectivity could be achieved in the 507P-HCl system, compared to 204P-H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> and TBP-HNO<sub>3</sub>. The addition of citric acid to the feed solution was effective for pH buffering but did not improve the Nd transport or Nd/La selectivity. Long-term stability of the 507P-HCl extractant system was demonstrated by extending the processing time from 6 h to 6 days.
ISSN:2077-0375