LIGAND ASSISTED CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR METAL ION SEPARATION

    公开(公告)号:US20210189519A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-06-24

    申请号:US17187834

    申请日:2021-02-28

    摘要: A method of producing substantially pure rare earth elements (REEs) from a mixture, including the steps of dissolving a mixture containing REEs in a strong acid to result in a dissolved mixture of metal ions, including that of REEs, capturing metal ions of REEs in a first set of chromatographic columns comprising strong acid cation exchange resins, washing said first set of chromatographic columns with a salt solution to remove non-adsorbing metal ions, eluting metal ions of REES from said first set of chromatographic columns with a first ligand solution to result in a solution of enriched metal ions of REEs, loading said solution of enriched metal ions of REEs onto a second set of chromatographic columns, and eluting bound metal ions of REEs stepwise from said second set of chromatographic columns using a second ligand solution to afford a substantially pure REE. The second set of chromatographic columns comprises hydrous polyvalent metal oxide selected from the group consisting of TiO2, ZrO2, or SnO2. The ligand of the second ligand solution coordinates with said hydrous polyvalent metal oxide.