Method for preparing neodymium citrate gels
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsSarah Finkeldei, Jessica Granger-Jones
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Abstract
A method for forming a metal oxide includes a step of adding citrate acid to a salt-containing solution to produce a precursor solution. Characteristically, the salt-containing solution includes a neodymium salt or an americium salt. A chilled solution of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and urea is added to a chilled precursor solution to form a citrate gel. Advantageously, citrate gel can be produced with an R-value of 0.5 to 3, wherein the R-value is a molar ratio of HMTA to Nd. The citrate gel is then heated to form the metal oxide of neodymium or americium.
Claims27
A gelled citrate object comprising:
- a three-dimensional network including neodymium ions and/or americium ions linked by citrate ions.
A method for forming a metal oxide, the method comprising:
- adding citrate acid to a metal salt-containing solution to produce a precursor solution, the metal salt-containing solution including a neodymium salt or an americium salt;
- chilling the precursor solution to form a chilled precursor solution;
- adding a chilled solution of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and urea to the chilled precursor solution to form a citrate gel, wherein the citrate gel has an R-value of 0.5 to 3, wherein the R-value is a molar ratio of HMTA to Nd;
- and
- heating the citrate gel to form the metal oxide of neodymium or americium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.