A Novel Synthesis Routine for Woodwardite and Its Affinity towards Light (La, Ce, Nd) and Heavy (Gd and Y) Rare Earth Elements

摘要: A synthetic Cu-Al-SO4 layered double hydroxide (LDH), analogue to the mineral woodwardite [Cu1−xAlx(SO4)x/2(OH)2·nH2O], with x < 0.5 and n ≤ 3x/2, was synthesised by adding a solution of Cu Al sulphates NaOH. The pH values were kept constant at 8.0 10.0 continuous addition material obtained had poor crystallinity, turbostratic structure, consisted nanoscopic crystallites. analyses performed in order characterise materials (X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy) showed that LDH is very similar woodwardite, although it has smaller layer spacing, presumably due lesser water content than natural samples. synthesis light rare earth elements (LREEs) (La, Ce, Nd) heavy (HREEs) (Gd Y) test affinity incorporation REEs. concentration (REEs) solid fraction range 3.5–8 wt %. results good for HREE Nd, especially 10.0, whereas affinities Ce La much lower or non-existent. thermal decomposition REE-doped generates mixture Cu, Al, REE oxides, making them interesting as precursors oxide synthesis.