Abstract
A novel split anion extraction system was developed to separate thorium from cerium and lanthanum nitrate solutions. The ionic liquid Cyphos® IL 101 with chloride as the anion was used without extra extractants in the extraction process. The results showed efficient separation of thorium and the extraction mechanism is believed to be based on co-extraction with nitrate anion. The maximum loading capacity for thorium was 1395.26 mg/L and the extracted metals were stripped using EDTA solution with 0.5 M NaCl. This split anion extraction system provides a safe, green, and economical method for separating thorium from rare earth elements.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Das N, Das D (2013) Recovery of rare earth metals through biosorption: an overview. J Rare Earths 31:933–943. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0721(13)60009-5
Lu Y, Bi Y, Bai Y, Liao W (2013) Extraction and separation of thorium and rare earths from nitrate medium with p-phosphorylated calixarene. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 88:1836–1840. https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.4035
Nasab ME, Sam A, Milani SA (2011) Determination of optimum process conditions for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements by solvent extraction. Hydrometallurgy 106:141–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2010.12.014
Li Y, Lu Y, Bai Y, Liao W (2012) Extraction and separation of thorium and rare earths with 5,11,17,23-tetra (diethoxyphosphoryl)-25,26,27,28-tetraacetoxycalix[4]arene. J Rare Earths 30:1142–1145. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0721(12)60195-1
Lu Y, Wei H, Zhang Z et al (2016) Selective extraction and separation of thorium from rare earths by a phosphorodiamidate extractant. Hydrometallurgy 163:192–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2016.04.008
Wang L, Yu Y, Huang X et al (2013) Toward greener comprehensive utilization of bastnaesite: simultaneous recovery of cerium, fluorine, and thorium from bastnaesite leach liquor using HEH(EHP). Chem Eng J 215–216:162–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.09.126
Altaş Y, Tel H, İnan S et al (2018) An experimental design approach for the separation of thorium from rare earth elements. Hydrometallurgy 178:97–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2018.04.009
Wasserscheid P, Keim W (2000) Ionic liquids—new “solutions” for transition metal catalysis. Angew Chem Int Ed 39:3772–3789
Binnemans K (2007) Lanthanides and actinides in ionic liquids lanthanides and actinides in ionic liquids. Chem Rev 107:2592–2614. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr050979c
Regel-Rosocka M (2009) Extractive removal of zinc(II) from chloride liquors with phosphonium ionic liquids/toluene mixtures as novel extractants. Sep Purif Technol 66:19–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2008.12.002
Zuo Y, Liu Y, Chen J, de Li Q (2008) The separation of cerium(IV) from nitric acid solutions containing thorium(IV) and lanthanides (III) using pure [C8mim]PF6 as extracting phase. Ind Eng Chem Res 47:2349–2355. https://doi.org/10.1021/ie071486w
Wu Q, Zhang F, Huang QG et al (2022) A novel one-step strategy for extraction and solidification of Th(IV) based on self-assembly driven by malonamide-based [DC18DMA]+ ionic liquids. Chem Eng J 430:132717. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2021.132717
Zhang F, Wu Q, Yan JX et al (2022) An integrated strategy for the extraction and solidification of Th(IV) ions from aqueous HNO3 solution based on self-assembly triggered by [DODMA]+[DGA]− ionic liquids. Sep Purif Technol 282:120111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2021.120111
Fu X, Zhang F, Wu Q et al (2021) The separation of thorium and rare earth elements using [A336][NO3]: insight into a new extraction mechanism. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 327:1251–1258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07590-y
Zuo Y, Chen J, Li D (2008) Reversed micellar solubilization extraction and separation of thorium(IV) from rare earth(III) by primary amine N1923 in ionic liquid. Sep Purif Technol 63:684–690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2008.07.014
Vander Hoogerstraete T, Wellens S, Verachtert K, Binnemans K (2013) Removal of transition metals from rare earths by solvent extraction with an undiluted phosphonium ionic liquid: Separations relevant to rare-earth magnet recycling. Green Chem 15:919–927. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3gc40198g
Riaño S, Binnemans K (2015) Extraction and separation of neodymium and dysprosium from used NdFeB magnets: an application of ionic liquids in solvent extraction towards the recycling of magnets. Green Chem 17:2931–2942. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5gc00230c
Regadío M, van der Hoogerstraete T, Banerjee D, Binnemans K (2018) Split-anion solvent extraction of light rare earths from concentrated chloride aqueous solutions to nitrate organic ionic liquids. RSC Adv 8:34754–34763. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ra06055j
Larsson K, Binnemans K (2015) Separation of rare earths by split-anion extraction. Hydrometallurgy 156:206–214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2015.04.020
Sobekova Foltova S, van der Hoogerstraete T, Banerjee D, Binnemans K (2019) Samarium/cobalt separation by solvent extraction with undiluted quaternary ammonium ionic liquids. Sep Purif Technol 210:209–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2018.07.069
Vander Hoogerstraete T, Binnemans K (2014) Highly efficient separation of rare earths from nickel and cobalt by solvent extraction with the ionic liquid trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium nitrate: a process relevant to the recycling of rare earths from permanent magnets and nickel metal hydride batte. Green Chem 16:1594–1606. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3gc41577e
Teksöz S, Acar Ç, Ünak P (2009) Hydrolytic behavior of Th4+, UO22+, and Ce3+ ions at various temperatures. J Chem Eng Data 54:1183–1188. https://doi.org/10.1021/je800601m
Jun L, Zhenggui W, Deqian L et al (1998) Recovery of Ce(IV) and Th(IV) from rare earths(III) with Cyanex 923. Hydrometallurgy 50:77–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-386X(98)00051-6
Bentouhami E, Bouet GM, Meullemeestre J et al (2004) Physicochemical study of the hydrolysis of rare-earth elements (III) and thorium (IV). C R Chim 7:537–545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crci.2004.01.008
Lommelen R, Onghena B, Binnemans K (2020) Cation effect of chloride salting agents on transition metal ion hydration and solvent extraction by the basic extractant methyltrioctylammonium chloride. Inorg Chem 59:13442–13452. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c01821
Wang Y, Huang C, Li F et al (2017) Process for the separation of thorium and rare earth elements from radioactive waste residues using Cyanex® 572 as a new extractant. Hydrometallurgy 169:158–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2017.01.005
Zhao J, Zuo Y, Li D, Liu S (2004) Extraction and separation of cerium(IV) from nitric acid solutions containing thorium(IV) and rare earths(III) by DEHEHP. J Alloys Compd 374:438–441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2003.11.057
Hennig C, Ikeda-Ohno A, Kraus W et al (2013) Crystal structure and solution species of Ce(III) and Ce(IV) formates: from mononuclear to hexanuclear complexes. Inorg Chem 52:11734–11743. https://doi.org/10.1021/ic400999j
Bilal BA, Müller E (1992) Thermodynamic study of Ce4+/Ce3+ redox reaction in aqueous solutions at elevated temperatures: 1. Reduction potential and hydrolysis equilibria of Ce4+ in HC1O4 solutions. Z Nat Sect A J Phys Sci 47:974–984. https://doi.org/10.1515/zna-1992-0908
Billard I, Ouadi A, Gaillard C (2011) Liquid-liquid extraction of actinides, lanthanides, and fission products by use of ionic liquids: from discovery to understanding. Anal Bioanal Chem 400:1555–1566. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4478-x
Marszałkowska B, Regel-Rosocka M, Nowak Ł, Wiśniewski M (2010) Quaternary phosphonium salts as effective extractants of zinc(II) and iron(III) ions from acidic pickling solutions. Pol J Chem Technol 12:1–5. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10026-010-0039-5
Roosen J, Binnemans K (2014) Adsorption and chromatographic separation of rare earths with EDTA- and DTPA-functionalized chitosan biopolymers. J Mater Chem A Mater 2:1530–1540. https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ta14622g
Acknowledgements
This study is supported by Ege University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit. Project Number: FGA-2019-20375.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Sert, Ş., Yusan, S. Extraction and separation of thorium from cerium and lanthanum by Cyphos® IL 101 ionic liquid. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 332, 2601–2611 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-08919-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-08919-z