Scandium Loading on Chelating and Solvent Impregnated Resin from Sulfate Solution

ABSTRACT

Adsorption of Sc onto two chelating resins, aminomethyl phosphonic (TP 260) and iminodiacetate (TP 209), and one solvent impregnated resin with bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid (TP 272) was investigated. Resin capacities, ion selectivity, adsorption kinetics, and equilibrium isotherms were measured. Sc speciation was predicted using chemical thermodynamic data. The kinetic data were fit to empirical models. The adsorption behavior was established by fitting equilibrium data to Langmuir and Freudlinch isotherms. Process variables such as pH, sulfate concentration, and temperature were considered. This new information will be used for hydrometallurgical process selection for Sc recovery.

KEYWORDS:

• Scandium
• ion exchange resin
• adsorption
• kinetics
• separation factor
• sulfate

Acknowledgments

We thank the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for supporting this collaborative research project between Wuhan University of Technology and the University of Queensland. We thank James Gudgeon for assistance in the laboratory. We thank Lanxess for technical advice and for donating the resin samples.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Wuhan University of Technology; University of Queensland.