Separating neighboring lanthanides is challenging because these elements have very similar chemical and physical properties. ORNL has developed a solid-liquid separation process that uses a coordinated two-component chemistry to selectively separate adjacent heavy lanthanides in a single step. The approach is designed to improve separation performance where conventional extraction materials are less effective, with potential value for rare earth processing, refining, and applications that require purified lanthanide materials.
Description
ORNL’s technology uses an extraction chromatography platform that combines a specially designed stationary-phase material with a complementary water-soluble separation agent. The two components work together to create different binding and release behavior among neighboring heavy lanthanides, enabling selective recovery that conventional commercial materials may not provide. Laboratory testing demonstrated promising separation of adjacent lanthanide pairs. The process is being further optimized for column operation and scale-up. By improving the ability to isolate closely related rare earth elements, the technology may support production of purified lanthanide materials for industrial, research, medical, space, and other specialized applications.
Benefits
- Selective separation of closely related heavy lanthanides
- Single-step approach for separating adjacent lanthanides
- Improved separation performance compared with conventional commercial materials
- Column-based process with potential for scale-up
Applications and Industries
- Rare earth element separation and refining
- Production of purified lanthanide materials
- Medical applications
- Space exploration and specialized materials applications
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email [email protected] or call 865-574-1051.
Researchers
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email [email protected] or call 865-574-1051.