Water-soluble and oil-soluble organic molecules effectively separate different elements in the lanthanide series of the Periodic Table. Credit: Adam Malin , Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Scientists have developed an innovative method to separate lanthanides, crucial for clean energy technologies, by combining substances that attract either lighter or heavier elements. This process promises to reduce the environmental impact and cost of rare earth element extraction, improving efficiency and scalability for industrial applications.
The scientists tested this technique using two different liquids that do not mix — oil and water. In water, they dissolved the water-loving substance; in oil, they added the oil-loving one. They found that the two-substance approach helped separate the lightest and heaviest rare earth elements better than the one-substance method applied previously. They used various methods to study how these organic chemicals and rare earth elements interact.
Reference: “Size Selective Ligand Tug of War Strategy to Separate Rare Earth Elements” by Katherine R. Johnson, Darren M. Driscoll, Joshua T. Damron, Alexander S. Ivanov and Santa Jansone-Popova, 25 January 2023,SciTechDaily: Home of the best science and technology news since 1998. Keep up with the latest scitech news via email or social media.Scientists have developed a metafluid with programmable response. Scientists at the Harvard John A.
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