Extraction of rare earth elements with organophosphorus extractants as carriers in supported liquid membranes

The membrane extraction of Y, Ce, Eu, Tm and their binary mixtures Ce–Y, Ce–Eu, Ce–Tm with supported liquid membranes containing TBP and HDEHP as carriers in decanedodecane hydrocarbon solvent, has been studied. Upon extraction with TBP aqueous nitrate solutions of rare earth elements (REE) were used as feed phase. In some cases they also contained EDTA or DCTA. In most cases, the receiving phase was an aqueous solution of EDTA. Extraction with HDEHP was performed from nitrate and chloride solutions and the receiving phase was the corresponding dilute acid. Pertraction of an element through a membrane was studied as a function of time and of initial composition of phases. The results are presented in the following forms: flux of metal through membrane, coefficients of permeability, separation factors and effective diffusion coefficients.