Carrier-Mediated Transport of Rare Earth Ions through Supported Liquid Membranes

Abstract

Fluxes of rare earth ions (Sc³⁺, Y³⁺, La³⁺, Sm³⁺, and Lu³⁺) across supported liquid membranes using mixtures of nitrophenyl octyl, heptyl, or phenyl ethers and tris(2-n-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBEP) as solvents and some β-diketones as carriers were determined. The effects of membrane composition, pH of the source phase, and carrier concentration on the flux are demonstrated. The effect of membrane composition is further discussed from the values of the membrane potential and the viscosity and electrical conductivity of the solvents. A maximal flux of lanthanum is observed for the membranes by using mixtures consisting of equal volumes of the nitrophenol derivative and TBEP. The fluxes of the rare earths, except scandium, decrease rapidly with decreasing pH difference between the source and receiving phases. The difference in flux among the rare earths, except scandium, is small. The flux increases in the carrier order benzoyl- > thenoyl- > furoyltrifluoroacetones. The lanthanum flux is proportional to the carrier concentration.