Ion exchange method for separation of scandium and thorium

Patent · Tue Aug 23 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6626019

Rourke, W J; Lai, W C; Natansohn, S

This patent describes a method for separating scandium and thorium comprising the following steps: Step 1--adjusting a solution comprising scandium and thorium to an acid pH to form an acid solution having a pH of about 1.95; Step 2--contacting the acid solution from step 1 with a cation exchange resin, the cation exchange resin having a sulfonic acid functionally; Step 3--retaining the scandium and thorium on the cation exchange resin; Step 4--eluting the scandium from the cation exchange resin with a first elution solution comprising about 0.1M diglycolic acid and 1.2M hydrochloric acid; and Step 5--eluting the thorium from the cation exchange resin with a second elution solution comprising about 6N hydrochloric acid.

• Assignee: GTE Laboratories Inc., Waltham, MA
• Patent Number(s): US 4765909
• OSTI ID: 6626019
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
400202 -- Isotope Effects
Isotope Exchange
& Isotope Separation
ACIDIFICATION
ACTINIDES
ELEMENTS
ELUTRIATION
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
ION EXCHANGE
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PH VALUE
POLYMERS
RESINS
SCANDIUM
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFONIC ACIDS
THORIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS