The determination of fluorine in rare earth fluorides by high temperature hydrolysis

The technique of pyrohydrolysis has been applied to the determination of fluorine in the fluorides of scandium, yttrium, and the lanthanons. These fluorides have been divided into two classes according to their rate of hydrolysis. Lutetium, ytterbium, cerium(III), scandium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, and thulium florides can be hydrolyzed in 30 min or less. Yttrium, lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, and europium fluorides require from 45 to 150 min for complete hydrolysis. Accelerators, such as uranium oxide (U₃O₈), chromium(III) oxide, and a mixture of these oxides have been used successfully to reduce the tune required for quantitative hydrolysis of the fluorides in the latter group. The use of the correct accelerator reduces the hydrolysis time to 30 min or less for all these fluorides except lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium.     

Determination of trace rare earth elements by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry after preconcentration with multiwalled carbon nanotubes

A new method has been developed for the determination of trace rare earth elements (REEs) in water samples based on preconcentration with a microcolumn packed with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The optimum experimental parameters for preconcentration of REEs, such as pH of the sample, sample flow rate and volume, elution solution and interfering ions, have been investigated. The studied REEs ions can be quantitatively retained by MWNTs when the pH exceed 3.0, and then eluted completely with 1.0 mol L⁻¹ HNO₃. The detection limits of this method for REEs was between 3 and 57 ng L⁻¹, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) for the determination of REEs at 10 ng mL⁻¹ level were found to be less than 6% when processing 100 mL sample solution. The method was validated using a certified reference material, and has been successfully applied for the determination of trace rare earth elements in lake water and synthetic seawater with satisfactory results.     

Dynamic ion-exchange chromatography with post-column reaction detection for the determination of the rare earth elements in monazites

Summary Separation and determination of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium in monazites have been achieved by dynamic ion-exchange chromatography. The ore samples are decomposed by sulfuric acid and the rare earths are separated in a group as oxalates. The rare earth elements are then separated from each other on a column of bonded phase silica by gradient elution with 0.05 to 0.5 M lactic acid (pH 3.5) in the presence of 0.01 M sodium 1-octanesulfonate. Post-column reaction with Arsenazo III is used for detection and quantification of the individual rare earth elements. Results are quoted for lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium in monazites. Detection limit is 1 μg ml⁻¹ with a S/N ratio of 3. The separation is complete within 27 min valley to valley resolution. Precision of better than 1% can usually be obtained.     

Separation of <Superscript>139</Superscript>Ce using solvent extraction technique from La<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> target irradiated by 14.7 MeV protons

The radiochemical separation of no-carrier-added cerium from proton irradiated lanthanum was studied by solvent extraction using DEE, TBP and TPPO, the latter reagent being employed for the first time for separation of radiocerium from bulk of lanthanum. Distribution coefficients of cerium and lanthanum were investigated as a function of equilibrium time and concentration of HNO₃. A mixture of 0.05M K₂Cr₂O₇ and 0.1M H₂SO₄ was used as an oxidizing agent to improve the separation efficiency of cerium. A comparative study of the three extractants released that DEE is the best for separation of cerium from bulk of lanthanum oxide. The target was prepared by pressing. The production of ¹³⁹Ce of high radionuclidic purity and chemical purity via irradiation of lanthanum oxide target at MGC-20 cyclotron with protons of energy 14.5 MeV is described. The experimental yield was found to be 153 kBq/μA·h.     

Thermogravimetric investigation of scandium,yttrium and the rare earth metal diliturates

Thermolysis curves for scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium(III), neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, dysprosium and erbium diliturates are described, Scandium diliturate forms a 15-hydrate which dehydrates in 3 steps. The other diliturates all form 12-hydrates which dehydrate smoothly. All of the anhydrous diliturates are thermally stable to about 240°.Solubilities in water for scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium(lll), neodymium, samarium. gadolinium, dysprosium and erbium diliturates are given. Scandium diliturate is the most soluble and neodymium diliturate the least soluble. Solubilities of rare earth diliturates not investigated can be predicted approximately.Methods for thermogravimetric determination of yttrium, lanthanum, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, dyprosium, and erbium as the diliturates have been developed. The precipitates are quite dense, easily handled and filterable. Weighing as the diliturate salts gives these determinations a very favorable gravimetric factor.     

Oxygen isotopic exchange between carbon dioxide and some molybdates or rare-earth elements

The oxygen exchange between C¹⁸O₂ and the normal molybdates of cerium, lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium has been studied within the temperature interval 300–500°C. The specific rates and activation energies of exchange for these molybdates were found to have similar values. The reactivity of oxygen in the molybdates studied was shown to be close to the reactivity of oxygen in MoO₃     

Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence Determination of Rare Earth Elements in Mineral Water Using a Combined Preconcentration Technique

A combined approach for the simultaneous determination of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, and samarium in mineral water in the range from?·?10^?2 to 10¹?µg/L by total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis is reported. The combined technique of preconcentration of the rare earth elements ions includes the codeposition of their hydroxides on a collector and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction by chloroform to form complexes with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol. The results for the determination of lanthanum and light lanthanides in natural water samples with the combined approach are in good agreement with measurements obtained by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry.     

On-line preconcentration with a novel alkyl phosphinic acid extraction resin coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for determination of trace rare earth elements in seawater

A newly synthesized alkyl phosphinic acid resin (APAR) was used for on-line preconcentration of trace rare earth elements (REES, lanthanides including yttrium) and then determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. REEs in seawater could be on-line concentrated on the APAR packed column (4.6 mm i.d. × 50 mm in length), and eluted from the column with 0.5 mL 0.1 mol L⁻¹ nitric acid within 30 s. An enrichment factor of nearly 400 was achieved for all REEs when the seawater sample volume was 200 mL, while the matrix and coexisting spectrally interfering ions such as barium, tin and antimony could be simultaneously separated. The detection limits of this proposed method for REEs were in the range from 1.43 pg L⁻¹ of holmium to 12.7 pg L⁻¹ of lanthanum. The recoveries of REEs were higher than 97.9%, and the precision of the relative standard deviation (R.S.D., n = 6) was less than 5%. The method has been applied to the determination of soluble REEs in seawater.     

Synergistic extraction and separation studies of uranium(VI)

A method is described for the extractive separation and spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) from an aqueous solution of pH 5.0–7.0 using benzoylacetone (bzac) and pyridine (py) dissolved in toluene as extractants. The extracted species are UO₂(bzac(₂·2py. The method provides separation of uranium(VI) from lanthanum(III), samarium(III), neodymium(III), cerium(III) and thorium(IV). The method is precise, accurate, fast and selective.     

电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定农产品土壤中痕量稀土元素

建立了电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）测定农产品土壤中15个稀土元素的分析方法．研究了溶样体系用量、标准溶液配制、质谱干扰、内标元素的选择．采用HNO3-HF—H2O2体系电热板溶解样品,稀土元素的溶出率较高．用ICP—MS同时测定土壤中的钇、镧、铈、镨、钕、钐、铕、钆、铽、镝、钬、铒、铥、镱、镥．以Rh、Re双内标在线校正,有效地降低了信号漂移对分析结果的影响．方法检出限为0．0012—0．0071ng／mL．对实际样品进行连续7次测定,方法精密度为0．2％～4．7％,回收率为97％-114％．经国家标准物质验证,结果与标准值相符．方法弥补了微波消解法的不足,且快速、准确,适合于大批量土壤样品分析．     

Preconcentration and determination of rare-earth elements in iron-rich water samples by extraction chromatography and plasma source mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

A 100-fold preconcentration procedure based on rare-earth elements (REEs) separation from water samples with an extraction chromatographic column has been developed. The separation of REEs from matrix elements (mainly Fe, alkaline and alkaline-earth elements) in water samples was performed loading the samples, previously acidified to pH 2.0 with HNO₃, in a 2 ml column preconditioned with 20 ml 0.01 M HNO₃. Subsequently, REEs were quantitatively eluted with 20 ml 7 M HNO₃. This solution was evaporated to dryness and the final residue was dissolved in 10 ml 2% HNO₃ containing 1 μg l⁻¹ of cesium used as internal standard. The solution was directly analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), using ultrasonic nebulization, obtaining quantification limits ranging from 0.05 to 0.10 ng l⁻¹. The proposed method has been applied to granitic waters running through fracture fillings coated by iron and manganese oxy-hydroxides in the area of the Ratones (Cáceres, Spain) old uranium mine.     

Separation of rare earth elements in the tributyl phosphate–Ln(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>3</Subscript>–Ca(NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> system in the counter current process

The 40-step extraction process to separate rare earth elements (RЕEs) according to the praseodymium–cerium line with the use of mixer–settler extractors in a 100% TBP–Ln(NO₃)₃–Ca(NO₃)₂ system is implemented. A lanthanum–cerium concentrate containing less than 0.03 wt % of the remaining REEs is obtained. The flow diagram of the separation process of a rare earth (RE) concentrate isolated from phosphogypsum is considered.     

Rapid synthesis of A2(MoO4)3 (A = Y3+ and La3+)with a CO2 laser

Negative thermal expansion material of yttrium molybdate and positive thermal expansion material of lanthanum molybdate have been successfully synthesized by rapid solidification with a CO₂ laser. Both materials were solidified in densely packed blocks with smooth surface and glazing color. They have similar microstructures consisting of nano-particles or nano-dendrites with grain sizes around 20–30 nm. Raman spectroscopic and XRD analyses reveal that lanthanum molybdate crystallized in a high temperature phase of tetrahedral La₂Mo₃O₁₂, whereas yttrium molybdate crystallized in an orthorhombic Y₂Mo₃O₁₂. This synthetic route is a very rapid process with which a sample can be synthesized within a few seconds and holds prospect for the synthesis of other rare earth molybdates and tungstates.     

Extraction studies of thorium(IV) with triphenylphosphine oxide

A simple method is described for the solvent extraction of thorium. Thorium is extracted quantitatively from 5·10^–3M sodium salicylate solution at pH 2.5–3.25 using 2.16·10^–2M triphenylphosphine oxide as an extractant dissolved in toluene. The extracted metal ion is stripped with hydrochloric acid (0.1M) and determined spectrophotometrically with Thoron-1 at 540 nm. The method permits separation of thorium from lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, samarium and uranium from binary mixtures and is applicable to the analysis of monazite sand. The method is precise, accurate and selective.     

Solid Phase Extraction of Trace Amounts of Cadmium with Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide‐Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles Prior to Its Determination by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A solid‐phase extraction (SPE) method has been presented for the selective separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of cadmium using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (NPs). The method is based on the sorption of cadmium as CdI₄^2? complex on the positively charged surface of the CTAB‐coated Fe₃O₄ NPs. The preconcentrated cadmium is then desorbed from the surface of the sorbent and is determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The influences of the experimental parameters including pH of the solutions, amount of surfactant, iodide concentration, sample volume, eluent type and volume on the recovery of the analyte ions were investigated. Under the optimum conditions by the extraction of 500 mL of aqueous samples, a preconcentration factor of 250 was achieved. The detection limit (3s) was 0.06 μg L^?1, and the relative standard deviations at 0.5 and 5 μg L^?1 levels of cadmium (n = 10) were 3.2 and 1.9% respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of cadmium in water samples. The accuracy was evaluated through the recovery experiments and independent analysis by the graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS).     

Carbon Nanofibers as Solid‐Phase Extraction Adsorbent for the Preconcentration of Trace Rare Earth Elements and Their Determination by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Systematic investigations were carried out into the sorption of rare earth elements (REEs) on carbon nonofibers (CNFs) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). The experimental parameters for preconcentration of REEs, such as pH, sample flow rate and volume, eluent concentration, and interfering ions on preconcentration of REEs have been examined in detail. The studied metal ions can be adsorbed quantitatively on CNFs in a pH range from 2.0 to 5.0, and then eluted completely with 0.5 mol l^?1 HNO₃. Based on the above facts, a novel method using a microcolumn packed with carbon nanofibers as an adsorption material was developed for the separation and preconcentration of REEs prior to their determination by ICP‐MS. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of light (La), medium (Eu and Gd) and heavy (Yb) rare earth elements in real sample with the recovery more than 90%. In order to validate this method, two certified reference materials of tea leaves (GBW 07605) and mussel (GBW 08571) were analyzed, and the determined values are in good agreement with the certified values.     

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence determination of rare earth elements in mineral water

A method is proposed for determination of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, and samarium in mineral water by means of total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis. In this work, the combined technique of preconcentration of rare earth ions is used. This technique consists of coprecipitation of metal hydroxides on the collector (iron (III) hydroxide) and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction of their complexes with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol by chloroform in the presence of ethanol. The use of the developed hybrid approach allows simultaneous determination of the mentioned metals in mineral water in the range n(10^–2–10¹) μg/L. The results of analysis of Arkhyz and Rychal-Su mineral waters by the proposed extraction–X-ray fluorescent method are confirmed by the literature data, obtained by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.     

Role of yttrium loading in the physico-chemical properties and soot combustion activity of ceria and ceria–zirconia catalysts

Ce_1−xY_xO₂ and Ce_0.85−xZr_0.15Y_xO₂ mixed oxides have been prepared by 1000 °C-nitrates calcination to ensure thermally stable catalysts. The physico-chemical properties of the mixed oxides have been studied by N₂ adsorption at −196 °C, XPS, XRD, Raman spectroscopy and H₂-TPR, and the catalytic activity for soot oxidation in air has been studied by TG in the loose and tight contact modes. Yttrium is accumulated at the surface of Ce_1−xY_xO₂ and Ce_0.85−xZr_0.15Y_xO₂, and this accumulation is more pronounced for the former formulation than for the latter, because the deformation of the lattice due to zirconium doping favours yttrium incorporation. Yttrium and zirconium exhibit opposite effects on the surface concentration of cerium; while zirconium promotes the formation of cerium-rich surfaces, yttrium hinders the accumulation of cerium on the surface. For experiments in tight contact between soot and catalyst, all the Ce_1−xY_xO₂ catalysts are more active than bare CeO₂, and Ce_0.99Y_0.01O₂ is the most active catalyst. The benefit of yttrium doping in catalytic activity of ceria can be related to two facts: (i) the Y³⁺ surface enrichment hinders crystallite growth; (ii) the surface segregation of Y³⁺ promotes oxygen vacancies creation. High yttrium loading (x = 0.12) is less effective than low dosage (x = 0.01) because yttrium is mainly accumulated at the surface of the particles and hinders the participation of cerium in the soot oxidation reaction, which is the active component. For the mixed oxides with formulation Ce_0.85−xZr_0.15Y_xO₂ (operating in tight contact) the effect of zirconium on the catalytic activity prevails with respect to that of yttrium. For experiments in loose contact between soot and catalyst, the catalytic activity depends on their BET surface area, and the catalysts Ce_0.85−xZr_0.15Y_xO₂ (BET = 10–13 m²/g) are more active than the catalysts Ce_1−xY_xO₂ (BET = 2–3 m²/g). In the loose contact mode, the yttrium doping and loading have a minor or null affect on the activity, and the stabilising effect of the BET area due to zirconium doping prevails.     

Growth and characterization of thin films of Y2O3, La2O3 and La2CuO4

Films of Y₂O₃, La₂O₃, and La₂CuO₄ were prepared by an ultrasonic nebulization and pyrolysis method using acetylacetonates of the corresponding metals in alcohol solvents as source materials. Homogeneous, uniform films with good adherence have been obtained using this simple technique. As-deposited yttrium and lanthanum oxide films were poorly crystallized. After postannealing in oxygen at higher temperature, they crystallized into cubic and hexagonal phases, respectively. Transparent yttrium and lanthanum oxide films have high electric breakdown voltages. Single phase polycrystalline La₂CuO₄ thin films were obtained from a source solution with a La:Cu ratio of 2:1.     

Thermal decomposition of lanthanide(III) and Y(III) 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoates: Preparation, properties

Complexes of lanthanides(III) (La-Lu) and Y(III) with 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (gallic acid) were obtained and their thermal decomposition, IR spectra and solubility in water have been investigated. When heated, the complexes with a general formula Ln(C₇H₅O₅)(C₇H₄O₅)·nH₂O (n=2 for La-Ho and Y: n=0 for Er-Lu) lose their crystallization water and decompose to the oxides Ln₂O₃, CeO₂, Pr₆O₁₁, and Tb₄O₇, except of lanthanum and neodymium complexes, which additionally form stable oxocarbonates such as Ln₂O₂CO₃. The complexes are sparingly soluble in water (0.3·10^–5–8.3·10^–4 mol dm^–3).This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.