"ANORMAL" VALENCES OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS IN PROCESSES OF THEIR SEPARATION. REPORT 1. ELECTROLYTIC REDUCTION OF YTTERBIUM

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1956 · Zhur. Neorg. Khim.

OSTI ID:4336279

Ryabchikov, D I; Sklyarenko, Yu S; Stroganova, N S

The influence of various factors on the yield of Yb in the electrolytic reduction of a solution containing ytterbium acetate Yb(Ac)/sub 3/ aud potassium citrate K/sub 3/Cit was studied using a Hg and a Pt anode. The dry citrate was added to the acetate solution, aud the pb was adjusted by adding CHaCOOH or KOH. The electrolysis was carried out for one hour at 12 v and a cathode current density of 0.05 amp/cm/sup 2/, after which the amalgam was detached and dissolved with HCl. The maximum yield of Yb was at pH 6.0. The yield decreases gradually with a pH change to 4.0 aud drops sharply at pH 3.0. The optimum cathode current density was 0.025 amp/cm/sup 2/. A temperature rise from --5 to 5 deg results in a small increase of the yield, but a further temperature rise to 50 deg decreases the yield by a factor of two. The mechanism for the formation of the amalgam is probably the dissociation of Yb(Ac)/sub 3/, formation of the complex K/ sub 3/STAYb(Cit)/sub 2/! and its dissociation, reduction of Yb/sup 3+/ to Yb/sup 2+/, and reduction of Yb/sup 2+/ to the amalgam. The conditions for the optimum yield of 98.2% Yb are pH 6, temperature 5 deg , a solution concentration of 2.0% Yb/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and a molar ratio of Yb/sub 2/O/sub 3:K/sub 3/Cit::1:2. (J.S.R.)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-12-012306
• OSTI ID: 4336279
• Journal Information: Zhur. Neorg. Khim., Journal Name: Zhur. Neorg. Khim. Vol. Vol: 1, No. 9
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACETATES-- ACETIC ACID-- ACIDITY-- ANODES-- CHEMICAL REACTIONS-- CITRIC ACID-- ELECTRIC CHARGES-- ELECTROLYSIS-- ELEMENTS-- MERCURY-- PLATINUM-- POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS-- QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS-- QUANTITY RATIO-- RARE EARTHS-- REDUCTION-- SEPARATION PROCESSES-- SOLUTIONS-- VALENCE-- YTTERBIUM-- YTTERBIUM COMPOUNDS
CATHODES-- DECOMPOSITION-- ELECTRICITY-- HYDROCHLORIC ACID-- MERCURY ALLOYS-- POTASSIUM HYDROXIDES-- PRODUCTION-- REACTION KINETICS-- SOLUTIONS-- TEMPERATURE-- YTTERBIUM COMPLEXES-- YTTERBIUM OXIDES
CHEMISTRY