Ut-battelle, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation

University of Tennessee Research Foundation

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Commodore Separation Technologies, Inc.

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC

Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines

Terralithium LLC

Eck Industries, Inc.

Alger Alternative Energy, LLC

All American Lithium LLC

U.t. Battlle, LLC

Bruce A Moyer

Peter V Bonnesen

Stephen Harrison

Ramesh R Bhave

Richard A Sachleben

Sheng Dai

Mariappan Parans Paranthaman

Gilbert Morris Brown

Huimin Luo

John William Freiderich

Radu Custelcean

Srinivas Kilambi

R Bruce Robinson

Orlando Rios

David J Weiss

Hunter B Henderson

Terry Allen Todd

Zachary C Sims

Ryan T Ott

David Herbert Meikrantz

Spiro D Alexandratos

Scott McCall

Jack D Law

Catherine L Riddle

Michael S Kesler

Corby G Anderson

Dean R Peterman

Carter W Abney

Richard A Bartsch

Baohua Gu

Nicholas Linneen

Vishwanath Deshmane

Ilja Popovs

Syed Z Islam

Charles Aaron Seipp

Neil Justin Williams

Santa Jansone-Popova

M Parans Paranthaman

Laetitia H Delmau

Hao Cui

Mitchell R Greenhalgh

Richard D Tillotson

Ross Ellis

Tamara J Keever

C Kevin Chambliss

Derek J Presley

Arbin Rajbanshi

W J McDowell

Rare earth extractant compounds having the following structure: wherein R, R, R, and Rare independently selected from alkyl groups containing 1-30 carbon atoms and optionally containing an ether or thioether linkage connecting between carbon atoms, provided that the total carbon atoms in R, R, R, and Ris at least 12; Rand Rare independently selected from hydrogen atom and alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms; and provided that at least one of the conditions (i)-(iv) apply as follows: presence of a distal branched group in at least one of R-R(condition i), asymmetry in R-R(condition ii), presence of amine-containing ring (condition iii), or presence of lactam ring (condition iv). Also described are hydrophobic water-insoluble solutions containing at least one extractant compound of Formula (1), as well as method for extracting rare earth elements from aqueous solution by contacting the aqueous solution with the water-insoluble solution.

Diglycolamide derivatives for separation and recovery of rare earth elements from aqueous solutions

A method of concentrating a lithium-containing aqueous solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a water-permeable structure having an inner surface and outer surface, wherein at least said outer surface is coated with a water-permeable hydrophilic polymer having a thermal stability of at least 100° C.; and (ii) flowing a lithium-containing aqueous feed solution having an initial concentration of lithium over said inner surface while said outer surface is in contact with an aqueous draw solution containing a higher overall ion concentration than said lithium-containing aqueous feed solution, to result in forward osmosis of water from said lithium-containing aqueous feed solution to said aqueous draw solution, and wherein said forward osmosis results in a lithium-containing aqueous product solution having an increased concentration of lithium relative to the initial concentration of lithium in the lithium-containing aqueous feed solution.

Forward osmosis composite membranes for concentration of lithium containing solutions

The disclosure concerns methods for making a composition comprising a light metal and an intermetallic comprising the light metal and a light rare earth element. The composition also may include a plurality of nanoparticles comprising an oxide of the light metal. The method includes directly reducing a light rare earth element precursor compound in a melt of the light metal, thereby forming the light rare earth element and nanoparticles of the light metal oxide.

Production of castable light rare earth rich light metal compositions from direct reduction processes

A lithium extraction composite comprising: (i) a porous support and (ii) particles of a lithium-selective sorbent material coated on at least one surface of the support, wherein the support has a planar membrane, fiber (or rod), or tubular shape. A method for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition is also described, the method comprising (a) flowing the aqueous source solution through a first zone or over a first surface of the lithium extraction composite to result in selective lithium intercalation in the lithium-selective sorbent material in the first zone or first surface; and (b) simultaneously recovering lithium salt extracted in step (a) from said lithium-selective sorbent material by flowing an aqueous stripping solution through a second zone or over a second surface of the lithium extraction composite in which lithium ions from the first zone or first surface diffuse.

Lithium extraction composite for recovery of lithium from brines, and process of using said composition

A method for extracting a rare earth element from a rare earth-containing substance, the method comprising mixing the rare earth-containing substance with a protic ionic liquid, such as: wherein Ris selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; Rand Rare independently selected from hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms; and Xis an anionic species; to produce a composition of the formula (RE)(amide)Xat least partially dissolved in the protic ionic liquid, wherein RE is at least one rare earth element having an atomic number selected from 39, 57-71, and 90-103; y is 2-6; z is a number that charge balances the total positive charge of RE; and the amide is the conjugate base of the cationic portion of the protic ionic liquid of Formula (1) and has the following formula: 

Rare earth amide compositions

Methods for removing an oxyanion from an aqueous source containing said oxyanion, comprising contacting said aqueous source with an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution containing an oxyanion extractant compound dissolved in an aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solvent to result in formation of an oxyanion salt of said extractant compound and extraction of said oxyanion salt into said aqueous-insoluble hydrophobic solution, wherein said extraction results in an extraction affinity (D) of said oxyanion of at least 1, wherein D is the concentration ratio of said oxyanion in the organic phase divided by the concentration of said oxyanion in the aqueous phase; wherein said extractant compound has the following composition: wherein at least one of R-Ris or contains a hydrocarbon (R) group containing at least 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 carbon atoms.

Lipophilic guanidinium compounds for removal of oxyanions from aqueous solutions

Methods for liquid extraction of rare earth metals using ionic liquids

A solid particulate composition useful in extracting a lithium salt from aqueous solutions, the composition comprising lithium, metal atoms, oxygen atoms, and at least one anionic species (X) selected from halide, nitrate, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate, all in a framework structure, wherein said metal atoms are selected from at least one of oxophilic main group metal and oxophilic transition metal atoms, provided that, if the metal atoms comprise aluminum atoms, then at least 10 mol % of said aluminum atoms are substituted with at least one metal atom selected from said at least one oxophilic main group and oxophilic transition metal atoms, other than aluminum, and wherein said lithium is present in said composition in an amount less than a saturated amount in order to permit extraction of lithium salt. Methods for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition are also described.

Composition for recovery of lithium from brines, and process of using said composition

The present invention relates to urea-functionalized crystalline capsules self-assembled by sodium or potassium cation coordination and by hydrogen-bonding water bridges to selectively encapsulate tetrahedral divalent oxoanions from highly competitive aqueous alkaline solutions and methods using this system for selective anion separations from industrial solutions. The method involves competitive crystallizations using a tripodal tris(urea) functionalized ligand and, in particular, provides a viable approach to sulfate separation from nuclear wastes.

Selective oxoanion separation using a tripodal ligand

A mixed extractant solvent that includes at least one dialkyloxycalix[4]arenebenzocrown-6 compound, 4',4&#x2032;,(5&#x2032;)-di-(t-butyldicyclohexano)-18-crown-6, at least one modifier, and, optionally, a diluent. The dialkyloxycalix[4]arenebenzocrown-6 compound is 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(octyloxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(decyloxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(dodecyloxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(2-ethylhexyl-1-oxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(3,7-dimethyloctyl-1-oxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, 1,3-alternate-25,27-di(4-butyloctyl-1-oxy)calix[4]arenebenzocrown-6, or combinations thereof. The modifier is a primary alcohol. A method of separating cesium and strontium from an aqueous feed is also disclosed, as are dialkyloxycalix[4]arenebenzocrown-6 compounds and an alcohol modifier.

Extractant compositions for co-extracting cesium and strontium, a method of separating cesium and strontium from an aqueous feed, and calixarene compounds

Fluoro-alcohol phase modifiers and process for cesium solvent extraction

A method for regenerating strong-base anion exchange resins utilizing a sequential chemical displacement technique with new regenerant formulation. The new first regenerant solution is composed of a mixture of ferric chloride, a water-miscible organic solvent, hydrochloric acid, and water in which tetrachloroferrate anion is formed and used to displace the target anions on the resin. The second regenerant is composed of a dilute hydrochloric acid and is used to decompose tetrachloroferrate and elute ferric ions, thereby regenerating the resin. Alternative chemical displacement methods include: (1) displacement of target anions with fluoroborate followed by nitrate or salicylate and (2) displacement of target anions with salicylate followed by dilute hydrochloric acid. The methodology offers an improved regeneration efficiency, recovery, and waste minimization over the conventional displacement technique using sodium chloride (or a brine) or alkali metal hydroxide.

Regeneration of strong-base anion-exchange resins by sequential chemical displacement

Hydroxide values and associated alkali metal may be recovered from alkaline aqueous solutions using classes of fluorinated alcohols in a water immiscible solvent. The alcohols are characterized by fluorine substituents which are proximal to the acidic alcohol protons and are located to adjust the acidity of the extractant and the solubility of the extractant in the solvent. A method for stripping the extractant and solvent to regenerate the extractant and purified aqueous hydroxide solution is described.

Solvent and process for recovery of hydroxide from aqueous mixtures

A solvent composition and corresponding method for extracting cesium (Cs) from aqueous neutral and alkaline solutions containing Cs and perhaps other competing metal ions is described. The method entails contacting an aqueous Cs-containing solution with a solvent consisting of a specific class of lipophilic calix&lsqb;4&rsqb;arene-crown ether extractants dissolved in a hydrocarbon-based diluent containing a specific class of alkyl-aromatic ether alcohols as modifiers. The cesium values are subsequently recovered from the extractant, and the solvent subsequently recycled, by contacting the Cs-containing organic solution with an aqueous stripping solution. This combined extraction and stripping method is especially useful as a process for removal of the radionuclide cesium-137 from highly alkaline waste solutions which are also very concentrated in sodium and potassium. No pre-treatment of the waste solution is necessary, and the cesium can be recovered using a safe and inexpensive stripping process using water, dilute (millimolar) acid solutions, or dilute (millimolar) salt solutions. An important application for this invention would be treatment of alkaline nuclear tank wastes. Alternatively, the invention could be applied to decontamination of acidic reprocessing wastes containing cesium-137.

Calixarene crown ether solvent composition and use thereof for extraction of cesium from alkaline waste solutions

The present invention comprises a supported liquid membrane carrier liquid with a dielectric constant between approximately 20 and 32, more particularly between 22 and 28, and preferably about 24, and the use of that carrier liquid in a supported liquid membrane device to extract one or more chemical species from a feed liquid. The invention further comprises such a device where a temperature gradient is maintained between any of the feed, carrier, or strip liquids. In another embodiment of the invention, any of the feed, carrier, or strip liquids are conditioned, for example, by passing the liquids through a purifier, or replacing lost carrier liquid. In another embodiment of the invention, two or more devices are connected in series or parallel.

Supported liquid membrane separation

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Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Bruce A Moyer