Investigation on the Use of the Weakly Basic Polyacrylate Anion-Exchanger Amberlite IRA-68 for Sorption and Separation of Iminodiacetate Complexes of Rare Earth Elements

摘要

Based on the determined affinity series of rare earth element complexes with IMDA for the anion-exchangers, purification of macroquantities of Nd 3+ from Y 3+, Sm 3+ from Ho 3+, La 3+ from Nd 3+ and La 3+ from Pr 3+ on the weakly basic gel anion-exchanger Amberlite IRA-68 was studied. Using the presented method on 1 L of Amberlite IRA-68 in the acetate form, it is possible to obtain about 240 g Nd 2O 3 purified from Y 2O 3. Great difference in affinity of La 3+ and Nd 3+ as well as Pr 3+ complexes for this anion-exchanger in the acetate form indicates the possibility of applying this process for purification of lanthanum on the increased scale. On 1 L of Amberilte IRA-68 in the acetate form it is possible to obtain about 1125 g La 2O 3 purified from Nd 2O 3. On the basis of these results it can be assumed that unique properties of polyacrylate anion-exchangers enable their application for separation of rare earth elements.