Open Collections

UBC Faculty Research and Publications

Rare Earth Elements Recovery Using Selective Membranes via Extraction and Rejection Bashiri, Atiyeh; Nikzad, Arash; Maleki, Reza; Asadnia, Mohsen; Razmjou, Amir

Abstract

Recently, demands for raw materials like rare earth elements (REEs) have increased considerably due to their high potential applications in modern industry. Additionally, REEs’ similar chemical and physical properties caused their separation to be difficult. Numerous strategies for REEs separation such as precipitation, adsorption and solvent extraction have been applied. However, these strategies have various disadvantages such as low selectivity and purity of desired elements, high cost, vast consumption of chemicals and creation of many pollutions due to remaining large amounts of acidic and alkaline wastes. Membrane separation technology (MST), as an environmentally friendly approach, has recently attracted much attention for the extraction of REEs. The separation of REEs by membranes usually occurs through three mechanisms: (1) complexation of REE ions with extractant that is embedded in the membrane matrix, (2) adsorption of REE ions on the surface created-active sites on the membrane and (3) the rejection of REE ions or REEs complex with organic materials from the membrane. In this review, we investigated the effect of these mechanisms on the selectivity and efficiency of the membrane separation process. Finally, potential directions for future studies were recommended at the end of the review.

Item Metadata

Title
Rare Earth Elements Recovery Using Selective Membranes via Extraction and Rejection
Creator
Bashiri, Atiyeh; Nikzad, Arash; Maleki, Reza; Asadnia, Mohsen; Razmjou, Amir
Publisher
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Date Issued
2022-01-11
Description
Recently, demands for raw materials like rare earth elements (REEs) have increased considerably due to their high potential applications in modern industry. Additionally, REEs’ similar chemical and physical properties caused their separation to be difficult. Numerous strategies for REEs separation such as precipitation, adsorption and solvent extraction have been applied. However, these strategies have various disadvantages such as low selectivity and purity of desired elements, high cost, vast consumption of chemicals and creation of many pollutions due to remaining large amounts of acidic and alkaline wastes. Membrane separation technology (MST), as an environmentally friendly approach, has recently attracted much attention for the extraction of REEs. The separation of REEs by membranes usually occurs through three mechanisms: (1) complexation of REE ions with extractant that is embedded in the membrane matrix, (2) adsorption of REE ions on the surface created-active sites on the membrane and (3) the rejection of REE ions or REEs complex with organic materials from the membrane. In this review, we investigated the effect of these mechanisms on the selectivity and efficiency of the membrane separation process. Finally, potential directions for future studies were recommended at the end of the review.
Subject
rare earth elements (REEs); polymer inclusion membrane (PIM); ion-imprinted membrane (IIM); nanocomposite membrane; solid membrane
Genre
Article
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2022-02-10
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
CC BY 4.0
DOI
10.14288/1.0406552
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/80819
Affiliation
Applied Science, Faculty of; Non UBC; Mechanical Engineering, Department of
Citation
Membranes 12 (1): 80 (2022)
Publisher DOI
10.3390/membranes12010080
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty
Rights URI
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Aggregated Source Repository
DSpace

Item Media

Item Citations and Data

Rights

CC BY 4.0