By utilization of the formation of a complex salt of citric acid, separation of Y
3+, La
3+, Ce
3+, Pr
3+, and Nd
3+ by electrochromatography has been carried out and the following results obtained: 1) citric acid-NaCl solution as an electrolyte gave good results by adjusting the concentration of citric acid to 0.01250.05
M when the concentration of NaCl was 0.05
M, or the concentration of NaCl to about 0.05
M when the concentration of citric acid was 0.05
M; 2) the effects on the separation of the rare earths produced by changing the pH of 0.05
M citric acid-0.05
M NaCl solution through the addition of NH
4OH or HCl were found to be such that lower pH values caused the migration of rare earths toward the cathode, while increased pH values resulted in decrea sed mobility, and at pH 2.83.0, the direction of migration was reversed. Further increase in pH value caused an increase in the velocity of migration toward the anode, and finally it had a tendency to show a definite value. Mutual separation of rare earths at lower pH values was inefficient, but it improved with an increase in pH value, and it was the best at pH 2.6. The direction of migration was then reversed and the separation returned to an optimum at pH 3.0
5, further increase in pH value being ineffective. As an example, the separation of 5 kinds of rare earths was possible from their differences in migration velocity at pH 2.6 and pH 3. 0
5, with the exception of Pr and Nd :
pH 2.6 Y -0.27, La - 0.53, Ce - 0.43, Pr - 0.33.
pH 3.0
5 Y 0.41, La 0.19, Ce 0.30, Pr 0.35, Nd 0.37
(Unit : μ/sec/v/cm) (-sign indicates mobility toward the cathode).
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