Electrochemical extraction of lanthanum in molten fluoride salts assisted by KF or NaF

doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2019.05.017

Title: Electrochemical extraction of lanthanum in molten fluoride salts assisted by KF or NaF

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Abstract

Separation of some active metal ions such as Ce³⁺, Eu³⁺, and La³⁺ from molten fluoride salt using electrochemical process is difficult. The currently available electrodeposition process assisted by the solid reactive electrode or liquid metal electrode faces challenges such as the isolation of the reactive electrode due to the formation of a compound, the ability to maintain a low activity value of the active metal in liquid electrode, and a complex purification process of the target metal. In the present study, we developed a new method that successfully proved the extraction of lanthanum from molten LiF salt using an inert Mo electrode with the assistance of either NaF or KF salt. In that case, the formation of LaF₆^3- in LiF-KF (or LiF-NaF) salt, instead of La³⁺ in LiF, positively shifts the electrodeposition potential of lanthanum by a value of about 1 V. The simplicity of this method compared to the conventional routes for the extraction of lanthanum from molten salt will result in a reduction in separation costs and this approach has a potential application for the separation of other active metals in molten fluorides or chlorides.

Authors:: Wang, Yafei; Ge, Jianbang; Zhuo, Weiqian; Guo, Shaoqiang; Zhang, Jinsuo

Publication Date:: 2019-07-01

Research Org.:: Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1526790

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1613883

Grant/Contract Number:: NE0008306

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Electrochemistry Communications

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Electrochemistry Communications Journal Volume: 104 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 1388-2481

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

Subject:: 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; electrochemistry; electrochemical extraction; molten fluoride salt; rare earth metals; lanthanum

Citation Formats


                    Wang, Yafei, Ge, Jianbang, Zhuo, Weiqian, Guo, Shaoqiang, and Zhang, Jinsuo. Electrochemical extraction of lanthanum in molten fluoride salts assisted by KF or NaF.  Netherlands: N. p., 2019. 
        Web.  doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2019.05.017.

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                    Wang, Yafei, Ge, Jianbang, Zhuo, Weiqian, Guo, Shaoqiang, & Zhang, Jinsuo. Electrochemical extraction of lanthanum in molten fluoride salts assisted by KF or NaF.  Netherlands.  doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2019.05.017.

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                    Wang, Yafei, Ge, Jianbang, Zhuo, Weiqian, Guo, Shaoqiang, and Zhang, Jinsuo. Mon .  
        "Electrochemical extraction of lanthanum in molten fluoride salts assisted by KF or NaF".  Netherlands.  doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2019.05.017.

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@article{osti_1526790,

  title        = {Electrochemical extraction of lanthanum in molten fluoride salts assisted by KF or NaF},

  author       = {Wang, Yafei and Ge, Jianbang and Zhuo, Weiqian and Guo, Shaoqiang and Zhang, Jinsuo},

  abstractNote = {Separation of some active metal ions such as Ce3+, Eu3+, and La3+ from molten fluoride salt using electrochemical process is difficult. The currently available electrodeposition process assisted by the solid reactive electrode or liquid metal electrode faces challenges such as the isolation of the reactive electrode due to the formation of a compound, the ability to maintain a low activity value of the active metal in liquid electrode, and a complex purification process of the target metal. In the present study, we developed a new method that successfully proved the extraction of lanthanum from molten LiF salt using an inert Mo electrode with the assistance of either NaF or KF salt. In that case, the formation of LaF63- in LiF-KF (or LiF-NaF) salt, instead of La3+ in LiF, positively shifts the electrodeposition potential of lanthanum by a value of about 1 V. The simplicity of this method compared to the conventional routes for the extraction of lanthanum from molten salt will result in a reduction in separation costs and this approach has a potential application for the separation of other active metals in molten fluorides or chlorides.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.elecom.2019.05.017},

  journal      = {Electrochemistry Communications},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 104,

  place        = {Netherlands},

  year         = {2019},

  month        = {7}

}

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