Towards Sustainable Lanthanide Recovery from Industrial Waste

This project aims to investigate the in situ interaction of graphene oxide (GO) with hydrated metal cations (Cu, Ce, Nd, Yb, and Pt) in aqueous solutions to develop new approaches for lanthanide (Ln) recycling from industrial waste. Understanding Ln separation is essential for recovering rare earth elements used in electronics, magnets, and catalysts, while comparisons with Pt and Cu will clarify their sorption behaviors, redox properties, and recovery potential using GO. Using non-resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (NIXS) at the Carbon K-edge and valence to core X-ray Emission Spectroscopy (XES), we will examine Cu, Ce, Nd, Yb, and Pt sorption in aqueous dispersions of single-layered GO and multilayered GO membranes (GOMs). The obtained knowledge will enhance our understanding of the sorption mechanism and drive the design of novel carbon-based materials for efficient Ln separation.