Separation and recovery process for rare earth metals using molten salt electrolysis and liquid metals

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25281047
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental conscious materials and recycle
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Konishi Hirokazu 大阪大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (60379120)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: リサイクル / 希土類金属 / 溶融塩 / 液体金属 / 電解プロセス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We proposed new separation and recovery process for rare earth metals using molten salt electrolysis and liquid metals. The alloy samples were prepared by potentiostatic electrolysis using liquid Bi, Sn and Zn electrodes in molten LiCl-KCl added DyCl3 and NdCl3 at 723 K. The formation of Dy-Nd-Zn, Dy-Nd-Sn, Dy-Nd-Bi alloys were confirmed. The atomic ratios of Dy/Nd in Bi, Zn alloy samples were about 2. Rare earth and Fe could be separated by controlling the area of liquid electrodes or applied potential. Dy and Nd of Nd-Fe-B magnets in liquid Sn electrodes could be dissolved into the molten salt as RE ions.

Free Research Field

環境学