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What do magnets, smartphones and medical imaging devices have in common? They all depend on rare earth elements called lanthanides, which are vital for modern technology. Yet, separating these chemically similar elements from one another has long been one of chemistry’s toughest puzzles. 

Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have cracked open the mystery, revealing the molecular choreography that governs lanthanide separation — a breakthrough that could transform how we process these critical materials.

The team at Argonne used advanced computer simulations and experiments to reveal the hidden choreography of molecules during the extraction process. Traditionally, lanthanides are separated using a method called solvent extraction. In this process, the lanthanides are dissolved in an acidic solution and then selectively separated into an oil phase. Special molecules in the oil, called extractant molecules, bind to the lanthanides and help separate them.

Read more at: https://www.anl.gov/article/a-molecular-dance-in-rare-earth-element-chemistry