X-ray-absorption spectroscopy of a Nd3+-exchanged beta "-alumina crystal

Understanding the Adsorption of Rare-Earth Elements in Oligo-Grafted Mesoporous Carbon

Rare-earth elements (REEs) are 17 elements of the periodic table primarily consisting of lanthanides. In modern society, the usage of REEs is ubiquitous in almost all modern gadgets and therefore efficient recovery and separation of REEs are of high importance. Selective adsorption and chelation of REEs in solid sorbents is a unique and sustainable process for their recovery. In this work, single-stranded oligos with 100 units of thymine were grafted onto carboxylated mesoporous carbon to synthesize a sorbent with phosphorus and oxygen functionalities. The sorbent was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Three different REEs with varying atomic radii and densities, Lu, Dy, and La, were adsorbed onto the carbon from aqueous solutions. It was observed that the adsorbed amounts increased with the increase in the atomic radius or decrease in the atomic density. Calculation of the distribution coefficients for all the equilibrium adsorption amounts suggested that adsorption is more effective in the lower concentration region. The L₃-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure confirmed a 3+ oxidation state of REEs in the adsorbed phase. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) confirmed the binding of REEs with oxygen functionalities in the adsorbed phase. The radial distribution functions calculated from the EXAFS data suggest a longer RE-O distance for La compared to those for Lu and Dy. The coordination numbers and Debye-Waller factors have typical values of about 8-9 atoms and 0.01-0.02 Ų, respectively.

Adsorption of Rare Earth Elements onto DNA-Functionalized Mesoporous Carbon

The recovery and separation of rare earth elements (REEs) are of national importance owing to the specific usages, high demand, and low supply of these elements. In this research, we have investigated the adsorption of rare earth elements onto DNA-functionalized mesoporous carbons with a BET surface area of 605 m²/g and a median mesopore width of 48 Å. Three types of single-stranded DNA, one with 100 base units of thymine, another with 20 units of thymine, and the third, a 2000 unit long DNA from salmon milt were grafted on the carboxylated mesoporous carbon surface. All of the DNA-functionalized mesoporous carbons demonstrated higher adsorption of REEs compared to pristine mesoporous carbon and DNA grafted with 100 units of thymine demonstrated slightly higher adsorbed amounts compared to others. Pure neodymium (Nd(III)) adsorption in the aqueous phase demonstrated an adsorbed amount of 110.4 mg/g with respect to the initial concentration of 500 mg/g. A pH variation study with pure Nd(III) demonstrated that the adsorbed amount is higher at elevated pH compared to that at lower pH, thereby suggesting possible recovery at lower pH. Adsorption of a mixture of 16 REEs, including Sc, Lu, Tm, Yb, Er, Ho, Tb, Dy, Y, Eu, Gd, Sm, Ce, Nd, Pr, and La revealed that the adsorbed amount increased with an increase in the atomic weight and metallic radii of elements within the lanthanides. The calculation of the distribution coefficients for all of the equilibrium adsorption amounts suggested that adsorption is more effective in the lower concentration region. The Nd L₃-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) confirmed a 3+ oxidation state of Nd in the adsorbed phase. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) confirmed the local atomic structure relaxation of Nd complexes in the adsorbed phase and shortening of the Nd-O bond distance by about 0.03-0.04 Å, which may be associated with their local complexation at the carbon surface.

Gadolinium Acetylacetonate Tetraphenyl Monoporphyrinate Complex and Some of Its Derivatives: EXAFS Study and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Many attempts to obtain single crystals appropriate for X-ray diffraction analysis of the Ln(tpp)(acac) derivatives (where Ln = Gd or Sm, tpp = tetraphenylporphyrin and acac = acetylacetonate) have failed so far. A suitable way to get structural parameters for these monoporphyrinates is to use extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. We recorded spectra of the monoporphyrins, Ln(tpp)(acac) and Gd(tpyp)(acac) (where tpyp = tetrapyridylporphyrin), and the bisporphyrin GdH(tpyp)2 in the solid state. We particularly focused our structural analysis on Gd(tpp)(acac), applying both molecular modeling and EXAFS, which allowed us to get accurate results about the local environment of the central atom. The Gd3+ ion of the complex at room temperature was found to be bonded to four monoporphyrin nitrogen atoms at an average distance R(Gd-N(av)) = 2.48 A and to three or four oxygen atoms at R(Gd-O(ac,w)) = 2.38 A from an acetylacetonato anion and a water molecule. The presence of the second water molecule in the coordination sphere was barely discernible by EXAFS analysis. Molecular modeling has provided further information about the coordination core geometry of the Gd(tpp)(acac) monoporphyrinate, including a bishydrated coordination sphere. Also, it has enabled the construction of a 3D structural model on which multiple scattering analyses were attempted. Monte Carlo simulation was used to validate the adjustments. EXAFS spectra analysis was carried out on the derivatives, displaying slight distortions in the lanthanide central-atom coordination geometry.

XAFS study of gadolinium and samarium bisporphyrinate complexes

The comparative X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of gadolinium and samarium bisporphyrinate complexes represented by the formulas Gd(III)H(oep)(tpp), Gd(III)(oep)(2), Gd(III)H(tpp)(2) and Sm(III)H(oep)(tpp), Sm(III)(oep)(2), Sm(III)H(tpp)(2) is reported. The XAFS spectra are recorded on the LURE-DCI storage ring (Orsay, France) in transmission mode on the microcrystalline samples at the Gd and Sm L(3) edges. The local environment for Ln(3+) ions has been reconstructed applying one-shell and two-shell XAFS analysis procedures. The protonated and nonprotonated bisporphyrinate complexes present different XAFS features. After our analysis on the title derivatives, the gadolinium ion (at 80 K) is found to be bonded: (i) to eight nitrogen atoms at R(Gd-N) 2.50 A, for Gd(III)(oep)(2) [Debye-Waller (DW) factor 0.004 A(2)]; (ii) to seven nitrogen atoms at R(Gd-N) 2.49 A, for Gd(III)H(oep)(tpp) [DW factor 0.005 A(2)] and one nitrogen at long distance; and (iii) to six nitrogen atoms at R(Gd-N) 2.50 A [DW factor 0.006 A(2)] and two nitrogen atoms at long distance for Gd(III)H(tpp)(2). A similar coordination sphere has been detected for the corresponding Sm derivatives. So, the samarium ion (at room temperature) is bonded: (i) to eight nitrogen atoms at R(Sm-N) 2.53 A, for Sm(III)(oep)(2) [DW factor 0.006 A(2)]; (ii) to seven nitrogen atoms at R(Sm-N) 2.53 A, for Sm(III)H(oep)(tpp) [DW factor 0.006 A(2)] and one nitrogen at long distance; and (iii) to six nitrogen atoms at R(Sm-N) 2.50 A, for Sm(III)H(tpp)(2) [DW factor 0.006 A(2)] and two nitrogen atoms at long distance. As far as concerns Ln(III)(oep)(2) complexes, the increase of Ln-N distance in the series Gd(3+) < Eu(3+) < Sm(3+) reflects an increase in the ionic radii, which are in good agreement with previously published XRD data on Eu(III)(oep)(2). Moreover, the protonated Ln(III)H(oep)(tpp) and Ln(III)H(tpp)(2) complexes possess systematically shorter distances of about 0.02 A between the XAFS and XRD data. This difference is attributed to the asymmetry of the distribution concerning Ln-N distances.

Temperature and pH Dependence XAFS Study of Gd(DOTA)(-) and Gd(DTPA)(2)(-) Complexes: Solid State and Solution Structures

We present an X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of the local structures of Gd(DTPA)(2)(-) and Gd(DOTA)(-) complexes in the crystalline state (at room and low temperatures) and in aqueous solutions exhibiting various pH values (0.15-7) at different temperatures (25-90 degrees C). Using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analysis procedures and ab initio multiple scattering calculations of XAFS spectra at the Gd L(3) edge, we reconstructed the Gd(3+) local environment, and compared it with existing structural models. From neutral pH to a value of 1.5, we found that the local environment and complex dynamics around the gadolinium ions were conserved up to 4.5 Å, and the structure agreed well with the known crystallographic data. In these solutions, the gadolinium ions in the complex Gd(DOTA)(-) are bonded to the four carboxylate oxygen atoms [R(Gd-O(av)) 2.38 Å, Debye-Waller (DW) factor 0.006 Å(2)], to the four nitrogen atoms [R(Gd-N(av)) 2.65 Å, DW factor 0.006 Å(2)] and to one water molecule [R(Gd-O(w)) 2.46 Å, DW factor 0.012 Å(2)]. Concerning the complex Gd(DTPA)(2)(-), the gadolinium ions are bonded to the five carbonyl oxygen atoms [R(Gd-O(av)) 2.39 Å, DW factor 0.007 Å(2)], to the three nitrogen atoms [R(Gd-N(av)) 2.64 Å, DW factor 0.006 Å(2)], and to one water molecule [R(Gd-O(w)) 2.47 Å, DW factor 0.018 Å(2)]. In the range of pH (0.15-1.5) for the Gd(DTPA)(2)(-) complexes, thanks to the pH strong dependence of the XAFS signals, we observed a progressive complex dissociation. On the other hand, the XAFS signals of Gd(DOTA)(-) complexes exhibited only a slight pH (1-1.5) dependence. Concerning both complexes, we noted just a slight temperature dependence.