Abstract
Sc and Y are key rare earth elements and are widely used in lamp phosphors, lasers and high-performance alloys. However, highly efficient extraction and separation of Sc3+ and Y3+ is laborious, harmful, slow, and costly, strongly necessitating more efficient extraction and separation techniques. Here, we produced hydrated Sc3+- and hydrated Y3+-controlled graphene oxide (GO) membranes and find that both hydrated cations were completely self-rejected by the membrane. By combining this self-rejection effect of the larger hydrated Y3+-controlled GO membrane and the rapid passage of the membrane through the smaller hydrated Sc3+, we proposed a strategy to separate Sc3+ and Y3+ by using a hydrated Y3+-controlled GO membrane. The experimental results show that the permeation rate of Sc3+ exceeds that of Y3+ when the separation factor reaches 4.02, which can be attributed to the interlayer sieving effects of the GO membrane. Our finding illustrates the use of a forward osmosis process with a GO membrane for the efficient separation of Sc3+ and Y3+ by interlayer sieving, which provides a new effective and eco-friendly method for the separation of rare earth elements.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
