Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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Investigation of thorium separation from rare-earth extraction residue via electrosorption with carbon based electrode toward reducing waste volume

  • Aziman, Eli Syafiqah (Nuclear Science Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) ;
  • Ismail, Aznan Fazli (Nuclear Science Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) ;
  • Muttalib, Nabilla Abdul (Nuclear Science Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) ;
  • Hanifah, Muhammad Syafiq (Nuclear Science Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)
  • Received : 2020.11.10
  • Accepted : 2021.03.31
  • Published : 2021.09.25
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Abstract

Rare-earth (RE) industries generate a massive amount of radioactive residue containing high thorium concentrations. Due to the fact that thorium is considered a non-economic element, large volume of these RE processed residues are commonly disposed of without treatment. It is essential to study an appropriate treatment that could reduce the volume of waste for final disposition. To this end, this research investigates the applicability of carbon-based adsorbent in separating thorium from aqueous phase sulphate is obtained from the cracking and leaching process of solid rare-earth by-product residue. Adsorption of thorium from the aqueous phase sulphate by carbon-based electrodes was investigated through electrosorption experiments conducted at a duration of 180 minutes with a positive potential variable range of +0.2V to +0.6V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Through this research, the specific capacity obtained was equivalent to 1.0 to 5.14 mg-Th/g-Carbon. Furthermore, electrosorption of thorium ions from aqueous phase sulphate is found to be most favorable at a higher positive potential of +0.6V (vs. Ag/AgCl). This study's findings elucidate the removal of thorium from the rare-earth residue by carbon-based electrodes and simultaneously its potential to reduce disposal waste of untreated residue.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was financially supported by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia under grant number (DIP-2020-022) and Lynas Malaysia Sdn. Bhd (ST-2018-014). The authors express gratitude to the staffs of the Nuclear Science Program, UKM for their technical support throughout the research.

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