The growing demand for rare earth elements (REE) requires the search for economically viable materials to efficiently recover REE from various solutions. Our research aims to investigate the potential of using a combination of the ion exchangers Lewatit CNP LF (in H⁺ form) and AV-17-8 (in OH⁻ form) as an interpolymer system, “Lewatit CNP LF@AV-17-8” (X:Y), with varying mass ratios of X:Y to enhance the sorption efficiency of lutetium ions from nitrate solution. During the study, we used a range of analytical methodologies, including gravimetry, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Our findings demonstrate that the interpolymer system “Lewatit CNP LF@AV-17-8” (X:Y), with a mass ratio of 4:2, exhibited a significantly enhanced sorption rate of Lu³⁺ ions (42%) compared to the individual Lewatit CNP LF (6:0) (25%) and the individual AV-17-8 (0:6) (21%) over a 48 h period. Moreover, this interpolymer system has demonstrated notable conformity to the Freundlich adsorption model, highlighting its performance as an effective sorbent for lutetium (III) ions. Notably, our study presents a novel utilization of the interpolymer system “Lewatit CNP LF@AV-17-8” (4:2), with an adsorption capacity of 221.05 mg/g, to enhance the recovery of lutetium ions. The research findings demonstrate its potential for enhancing the recovery of REE.

Selective recovery of critical metals such as gallium and scandium from dilute, multicomponent process streams remains challenging due to their low concentrations and complex matrices. Here we investigate a remotely interacting intergel system based on crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) (hPAA) and poly(4-vinylpyridine) (hP4VP) hydrogels across seven mass ratios (6:0–0:6) for sorption of Ga(III) and Sc(III) from binary sulfate solutions. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy shows that mutual activation of the weak polyacid/polybase pair markedly enhances metal uptake, with maximum sorption degrees of 73.17% for Ga(III) at hPAA:hP4VP = 3:3 and 56.00% for Sc(III) at 2:4, corresponding to distribution coefficients up to 2726.7 mL g⁻¹ and Ga/Sc selectivity factors β up to 6.41. Sorption is well described by Langmuir-type isotherms, and desorption with 2 wt.% HNO₃ reveals an inverse sorption–release relationship, indicating stronger binding at compositions of maximal mutual activation. FTIR spectroscopy evidences inner-sphere complexation through bidentate carboxylate coordination in hPAA and M←N dative bonding in hP4VP, while TGA/DSC shows that metal-loaded hydrogels retain their structural integrity up to approximately 320–340 °C, with the onset of significant decomposition occurring at ~350 °C for hP4VP-containing samples. The composition-dependent magnitude of Ga(III)-over-Sc(III) preferential uptake—with selectivity coefficients β = K_d(Ga)/K_d(Sc) remaining greater than 1 across all seven compositions studied—is rationalized using Hard–Soft Acid–Base considerations and demonstrates that hPAA:hP4VP intergels constitute a composition-tunable platform for enhancing Ga(III) recovery and partial Ga/Sc separation from simplified sulfate media, motivating future validation in real hydrometallurgical liquors and in the presence of competing multivalent cations.