Development of Metal-Isolable Polymer-Gel Sorbent for Mutual Separation of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W

Abstract

A gel composed of cross-linked acrylic ester microparticles (EG50OH) with a chemically modified chelate molecule, desferrioxamine B (DFB), was successfully fabricated and employed as a sorbent for the high-valence metal ions Ti (IV), V (V), Zr (IV), Nb (V), Mo (VI), Ta (V), and W (VI). Their adsorption and desorption properties were determined. The polymer-gel sorbent was found to be very effective in adsorbing the high-valence metal ions in strongly acidic aqueous media. For example, 70-95 % adsorption of high-valence metal ions in acidic aqueous solutions (with concentrations of 0.5-6.0 mol/L) was obtained using the functional sorbent, and then 40-85 % adsorption was isolated using buffer solutions with different pH values (ranging from neutral to alkaline). The amount of DFB immobilized in/on EG50OH was 0.27 mmol per 1.0 g of the polymeric microparticle gel. The DFB-modified sorbent is very useful for mutual separation and recovery of high valence metal ions from aqueous industrial waste in acidic media. The DFB-modified sorbent could be used to collect low-concentration metals from washing solution in producing semiconductor and so on. It is considered that the purpose of using DFB-modified sorbent is both recovering metals and protecting environment.