Advancing Selective Extraction: A Novel Approach for Scandium, Thorium, and Uranium Ion Capture

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Thorium (Th) and uranium (U) are key nuclear fuels, necessitating efficient recovery methods.
• Separating these elements from coexisting rare-earth elements (REEs) is crucial for their sustainable utilization.
• High-value scandium (Sc) extraction from REEs is vital for advanced alloy technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a selective ligand-functionalized silica sorbent for extracting Sc, REEs, Th, and U.
• To evaluate the sorbent's performance across varying pH and complex elemental compositions.
• To assess the sorbent's reusability and industrial application potential.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a ligand-functionalized silica sorbent.
• Testing selective adsorption of Sc, REEs, Th, and U from multi-element solutions.
• Varying solution pH and elemental composition to determine optimal conditions.
• Evaluating sorbent performance over multiple reuse cycles.

Main Results:

• Exceptional Sc selectivity at pH 4 in 3-20 element solutions.
• Excellent Th selectivity at pH 2 in 18- and 20-element solutions.
• Substantial U selectivity at pH 4 in 18- and 20-element solutions.
• Efficient adsorption of Nd, Dy, and La from Sc-free solutions, with a preference for Nd.
• Sorbent maintained performance over ten reuse cycles.

Conclusions:

• The developed sorbent demonstrates high selectivity for target elements including Sc, Th, and U.
• Its robustness and reusability indicate significant potential for industrial applications in element recovery.
• This advancement supports sustainable practices in nuclear fuel and advanced materials sectors.