Ion exchange compositions

Abstract

The present invention comprises a process for separating rare earth ions or actinide ions or mixtures thereof in solution by passing the solution through an ion exchange material to separate the rare earths or actinides or mixtures thereof. The ion exchange material has a surface area of about 5-1500 m.sup.2 /g. The ion exchange material is impregnated with a liquid containing alkali metal cations, Group Ib metal cations, ammonium cations, organic amines or mixtures thereof, at a pH range above about 9. A plurality of fractions of the solution is collected as the solution passes through the ion exchange material, preferably in a column. This process is particularly preferred for separating rare earth ions and especially lanthanum and neodymium. It is particularly preferred to purify lanthanum to contain less than 0.1 ppm, preferably less than 0.01 ppm, of neodymium. In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a method of producing a porous silicate glass containing at least one transition metal oxide additive selected from a group consisting of the bottom two rows of Group VIII of the Periodic Table. This method comprises preparing a base glass from a melt which contains 40-80 mol percent of silica and up to 10 mol percent of one or more transition metal oxide additives selected from said group or of precursors of said oxide additives, separating said base glass by heat treatment into at least a soluble phase and an insoluble phase, leaching out the soluble phase. In yet another embodiment, the present invention comprises an ion exchange material consisting of a porous glass or silica gel including at least about 0.2 mol percent of a transition metal oxide or hydrous metal oxide and containing at least 0.3 mol percent of alkali metal cation, Group Ib metal cation, ammonium, organic amines, or mixtures thereof.