November 7, 2024
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)
Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS)
Inter-University Research Corporation, High Energy Accelerator Research
Organization (KEK)
J-PARC
French National Centre for Scientific Research
Metal extraction systems evolving through the power of fluorine
— Development of new extraction methods striking a balance between safety and efficiency to contribute to a sustainable society —
- [Summary of announcement]
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- The recycling of resources is important to realize a sustainable society. Under such circumstance, "solvent extraction method" has drawn attention as a technology to separate and purify useful metals from solution in which various types of metals are dissolved.
- The control of liquid phase separation (generation of third phase), which inhibits safe operations of the process, has been a long-standing challenge when high concentrations of metal ions are to be extracted.
- An international joint research team between Japan and France focused on strong hydrophobicity of fluorine and developed an extraction system which prevents the third phase from being generated.
- A new extractant containing fluorine was developed in this research. The structure and properties of nanoscale molecular assemblies formed by this extractant in liquid phase were analyzed using a small-angle neutron scattering diffractometer (SANS-J) installed at the Japan Research Reactor 3 (JRR-3). As a result, how to use fluorine to prevent the generation of third phase was revealed.
- This achievement provides "guidelines for development of new extraction systems" that strike a balance between safety and high extraction efficiency by using hydrophobicity of fluorine, which has been impossible in the past development of solvent extraction.
- [Information on article]
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Name of journal: Langmuir Title of article: Fluorous and organic extraction systems: a comparison from the perspectives of coordination structures, interfaces, and bulk extraction phases Names of authors (and their organizations): Yuki Ueda†, Cyril Micheau†, Kazuhiro Akutsu-Suyama‡, Kohei Tokunaga§, Masako Yamada||, Norifumi L. Yamada||, Damien Bourgeois⊥, Ryuhei Motokawa† Organization of affiliation: - †
- Materials Sciences Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
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- Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS)
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- Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency
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- Inter-University Research Institute Cooperation High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)
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- French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)