A study of rare earth ion-adsorption clays: The speciation of rare earth elements on kaolinite at basic pH

Synthesized rare earth ion-adsorption clays (La, Ce, Nd, Dy and Y, ~ 400 ppm each) were prepared from kaolinite at various basic pH in open-air conditions. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to characterize the effect of pH on the adsorption mechanism of rare earth elements (REEs) on kaolinite. The crystal structure of kaolinite by XRD analysis is not altered after REE adsorption, suggesting that REEs are bound to the surface of kaolinite. Elemental analysis by XPS and ICP-MS show that the surface concentration of REEs on kaolinite is pH dependent, and a local maximum of the surface concentration is achieved at pH 10. Three characteristics of the La 3d5/2 XPS photoemission feature were measured and compared to those of standard La compounds to probe the speciation of REEs, and electrostatically bound hydroxides such as REE(OH)2+ are identified as the primary species on the surface of kaolinite. Compared to the typical ion-adsorption clays with intrinsic acidic pH, clays synthesized at basic pH exhibit similarly high rare earth ion-exchange efficiency with ammonium sulfate (AS), suggesting that rare earth ion-adsorption clays can exist in both acidic and basic environments. [Display omitted] •REE ion-adsorption clays were synthesized at basic pH in open-air conditions.•Electrostatically bound hydroxides such as REE(OH)2+ are identified as the primary species on the clay surface.•Synthesized clays show high REE ion-exchange efficiency•REE ion-adsorption clays can exist in basic environments with hydroxylated REEs.