Separation of Lanthanides: Traditional Methods and Emerging Approaches
Abstract
The selective separation of lanthanides remains a significant challenge due to their remarkably similar chemical properties. With no easy substitutes for these critical elements, supply risk has become a major concern. The current industry standard—solvent or liquid-liquid extraction using acidic, phosphorus-based extractants—requires hundreds of stages to achieve high-purity recovery of individual elements. To enhance the economic viability and sustainability of these processes, there is growing interest in the development of organic ligands capable of selectively recognizing specific lanthanides with improved precision. This presentation will provide an overview of the key challenges in lanthanide separation and explore emerging technologies that offer promising solutions.
Biographical sketch
Santa completed her graduate studies at the University of Houston, where she investigated the synthesis of a natural product (Maoecrystal V) and developed a new chemical transformation to synthesize complex polycyclic compounds. After graduation, she joined the Chemical Separations group in Chemical Sciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in late 2014. She is a senior staff scientist and a principal investigator on several projects. She also serves as a lead for the Unlocking Secondary Sources focus area within the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub. Her research interests include synthesizing and testing structurally complex and diverse organic compounds and materials for applications in rare earth recovery and selective separation, nuclear science (An/Ln separation), and ion-conducting polymer research.
Event Details
The UT Resource Center is at 1201 Oak Ridge Turnpike between Dairy Queen and Applebee's Grill. Use the entrance at the southwest (back) corner of the building.
A light lunch (half sandwich, chips, cookie, and a drink) will be available for a $10 donation (cash, check or IOU) starting about 11:15 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees may also bring food to eat.
Meeting Agenda
11:15 a.m. – Arrive at UT Resource Center to grab a light lunch or chat with colleagues
11:50 a.m. – Zoom attendees may login online until noon
12:00 p.m. – Talk begins following a few announcements and introduction of the speaker.