Direct extraction of platinum group metals from nitric acid solution using the phase transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)

Abstract

The direct extraction of platinum group metals (PGMs) from nitric acid solutions based on the phase transition of thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) could be successfully performed. Results indicated that trivalent PGMs such as rhodium and ruthenium could be extracted onto PNIPAAm gel as dissociated cationic complexes with hydrophobic soft donor ligands.