Uphill transport of rare-earth metals through a highly stable supported liquid membrane based on an ionic liquid

Kubota, Fukiko*; Shimobori, Yosuke*; Koyanagi, Yusuke*; Shimojo, Kojiro   ; Kamiya, Noriho*; Goto, Masahiro*

We have developed a highly stable supported liquid membrane based on ionic liquids (ILs) for the separation of rare-earth metals, employing -dioctyldiglycol amic acid as a mobile carrier. The quantitative transport of Y and Eu through the membrane was successfully attained, and separation from metal impurities, Zn, was efficiently accomplished. A membrane stable enough for long-term operation was constructible from imidazolium-based ILs having a longer alkyl chain, such as octyl or dodecyl groups in an imidazolium cation.