Assessment of the Capability of Magnetic Nanoparticles to Recover Neodymium Ions from Aqueous Solution

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have received increasing attention for various applications due to their fast synthesis, versatile functionalization, and recyclability by the application of a magnetic field. The high surface-to-volume ratio of MNP dispersions has suggested their use as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal ions. We investigated the applicability of MNPs composed of a maghemite core surrounded by a silica shell functionalized with aminopropylsilane, γ-Fe2O3-NH4OH@SiO2(APTMS), for the removal of neodymium ions (Nd3+) from aqueous solution. The MNPs were characterized for their size, composition, surface functionality and charge. Despite of the promising properties of MNPs, their removal from the aqueous dispersion with an external magnet was not sufficient to reliably quantify the adsorption of Nd3+ by UV-Vis spectroscopy.