Separation of Rare-Earth Elements from Nitrate Solutions by Solvent Extraction Using Mixtures of Methyltri-n-octylammonium Nitrate and Tri-n-butyl Phosphate.

The article presents data on the solvent extraction separation of rare-earth elements (REEs), such as La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), and Nd(III), using synergic mixtures of methyltrioctylammonium nitrate (TOMANO) with tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) from weakly acidic nitrate solutions. Specifically, experimental results on separation of REEs, for the pair Ce(III)/Pr(III) for quaternary mixtures of REEs (La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III)) and for the pair La(III)/Pr(III) for solutions containing La(III), Pr(III), and Nd(III), are presented. It was shown that effective separation for the pair Ce(III)/Pr(III) from a solution containing 219 g Ce(III)/L, 106 g La(III)/L, 20 g Pr(III)/L, 55 g Nd(III)/L, and 0.

Evaluation of Main Factors for Improvement of the Scandium Leaching Process from Russian Bauxite Residue (Red Mud) in Carbonate Media.

The carbonate leaching of scandium from the landfilled bauxite residue (red mud) of the Bogoslovsky Aluminum Plant (Russia) and samples of red mud (RM) after alkaline pretreatment has been investigated. The results of kinetic studies allowing to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of different conditions and intensification factors in the process of scandium leaching from RM in carbonate/bicarbonate media are presented. It was determined that for 2.

MoS@ZnO Nanoheterostructures Prepared by Electrospark Erosion for Photocatalytic Applications.

MoS@ZnO nanoheterostructures were synthesized by electrospark erosion of zinc granules in a hydrogen peroxide solution and simultaneous addition of MoS nanostructured powder into the reaction zone. The morphology, size of the crystallites, as well as elemental and phase composition of the prepared structures, were examined using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that the synthesized products represent heterostructures containing MoS nanoparticles formed on ZnO nanoparticles.

Author Correction: Chronicles of nature calendar, a long-term and large-scale multitaxon database on phenology.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Chronicles of nature calendar, a long-term and large-scale multitaxon database on phenology.

We present an extensive, large-scale, long-term and multitaxon database on phenological and climatic variation, involving 506,186 observation dates acquired in 471 localities in Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The data cover the period 1890-2018, with 96% of the data being from 1960 onwards. The database is rich in plants, birds and climatic events, but also includes insects, amphibians, reptiles and fungi.

Design of plastic diffractive-refractive compact zoom lenses for visible-near-IR spectrum.

The requirements for selecting the initial scheme for a compact plastic zoom lens are formulated. The main stages of the initial scheme of the transformation, incorporating the diffractive lens and replacement of the lenses' glasses by optical plastics, are presented. The efficiency of the suggested techniques of the optical layout process are demonstrated by using the example of the design and analysis of a zoom lens intended for use in security cameras for day or night vision.

Diffractive-refractive correction units for plastic compact zoom lenses.

A method of designing a plastic zoom lens with a diffractive-refractive hybrid corrector, comprising one diffractive lens and one refractive lens, is described. The efficiency of this method is demonstrated by designing a compact zoom lens for a mobile phone. This zoom design, incorporating lenses made only of two commercial optical plastics (polymethylmethacrylate and polycarbonate), provides high optical performance.

Design of the double-telecentric high-aperture diffractive-refractive objectives.

The possibility for achieving optical performance of objectives, including a minimum amount of diffractive lenses, comparable to optical performance of multiple-lens conventional objectives for nanolithography, is considered. The problem of chromatism connected with using excimer lasers is solved by applying aspheric substrates that help to reduce both axial color and spherochromatic aberration.

Design of achromatic and apochromatic plastic micro-objectives.

The possibility and the efficiency of using a single diffractive lens to achromatize and apochromatize micro-objectives with plastic lenses are shown. In addition, recommendations are given on assembling the starting configurations of the objectives and calculating the design parameters required for subsequent optimization. It is also shown that achievable optical performance of achromatic and apochromatic micro-objectives with plastic lenses satisfy the qualifying standards for cell-phone objectives and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.

Diffractive-refractive hybrid corrector for achro- and apochromatic corrections of optical systems.

The possibility is shown of achro- and apochromatic correction of an optical system with any residual chromatism by completing the system with a diffractive-refractive hybrid corrector comprising one diffractive lens and one or two refractive lenses.

Reduction of the distortion of diffractive-gradient-index high-resolution objectives.

The possibility of multiple reductions of the distortion of high-resolution monochromats that consist of diffractive and radial gradient-index lenses is shown. The desirable effect is achieved by mutual compensation of various order members. Design parameters and the field performances of objectives that confirm the effectiveness of a method, are presented.