DEVELOPMENT OF A HIGH-EFFICIENCY ADSORBENT FROM E-WASTE AND ALUMINOSILICATE-BASED MATERIALS FOR THE REMOVAL OF TOXIC HEAVY METAL IONS FROM WASTEWATER

• US 20160023202A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Hadi Myavagh, Pejman, McKay, Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,623 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 39/09 Inorganic material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 39/14 Base exchange silicates, e.g. zeolites
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 47/016 Modification or after-treatment of ion-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/425 using cation exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/20 Heavy metals or heavy metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/001 Runoff or storm water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/18 from the purification of gaseous effluents

Abstract

An impregnated and activated ion exchange material prepared by a process is provided that includes: impregnating an ion exchange precursor material, wherein impregnation of the ion exchange precursor material includes reacting the ion exchange precursor material with an impregnator solution, thereby increasing the surface area and the hydrophilicity of the ion exchange precursor material; activating the impregnated ion exchange precursor material to increase the porosity of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, wherein the ion exchange precursor material comprises at least one of nonmetallic printed (NMP) circuit board, amorphous aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof. In other aspects, a method for fabricating an ion exchanger and a method for removing heavy metal ions from a solution are provided.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating an ion exchanger, the method comprising:

impregnating an ion exchange precursor material, wherein impregnating the ion exchange precursor material comprises;

reacting the ion exchange precursor material with an impregnator solution, thereby increasing the surface area and the hydrophilicity of the ion exchange precursor material;

activating the impregnated ion exchange precursor material to increase the porosity of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method for fabricating an ion exchanger further comprises washing and drying the impregnated and activated ion exchange precursor material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the impregnating of the ion exchange precursor material, a portion of the bonds in the ion exchange precursor material is broken up into hydroxyl moieties.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the impregnating of the ion exchange precursor material, a first plurality of alkali metal ions present in the impregnator solution is exchanged with hydrogen atoms at the surface of the ion exchange precursor material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the impregnating of the ion exchange precursor material, the ion exchange precursor material is converted from a hydrophobic to a hydrophilic material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, a residual carbon content of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material is reduced.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, a plurality of bond cleavages is restored in the impregnated ion exchange precursor material.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, a plurality of hydroxyl groups is introduced into the impregnated ion exchange precursor material.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, a second plurality of alkali metal ions is exchanged for hydrogen atoms in the impregnated ion exchange precursor material.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, the surface and the inner layers of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material are activated.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the ion exchange precursor material comprises at least one of nonmetallic printed (NMP) circuit board, amorphous aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the impregnator solution comprises at least one of water, caustic solution, or mixtures thereof.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the molarity of the caustic solution is between 0.05 and 5 mol/L.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the impregnating of the ion exchange precursor material the mass ratio of impregnator solution to ion exchange precursor material is between 0.05 and 10.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the duration of impregnating the ion exchange precursor material is between 0.5 and 48 hours.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the impregnating of the ion exchange precursor material, the impregnated ion exchange precursor material is at a temperature between 20 and 90°

C.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the duration of activating the impregnated ion exchange precursor material is between 0.5 and 24 hours.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, the impregnated ion exchange precursor material is heated to a temperature between 100 and 700°

C.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the activating of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, the atmosphere surrounding the impregnated ion exchange precursor material comprises at least one of air, nitrogen, or mixtures thereof.

20. A method for removing heavy metal ions from a solution, the method comprising:

bringing an impregnated and activated ion exchange precursor material in contact with the solution containing heavy metal ions; and

exchanging heavy metal ions from the solution for alkali metal ions in the impregnated and activated ion exchange precursor material, wherein the heavy metal ions from the solution are adsorbed at the impregnated and activated ion exchange precursor material and the exchanged alkali metal ions are released into the solution.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the solution containing heavy metal ions comprises at least one of municipal waste water, commercial waste water, by-product of an industrial process, naturally contaminated water, accidentally contaminated water, and water contaminated by runoff.

22. An impregnated and activated ion exchange material prepared by a process comprising the steps of:

impregnating an ion exchange precursor material, wherein impregnating the ion exchange precursor material comprises;

reacting the ion exchange precursor material with an impregnator solution, thereby increasing the surface area and the hydrophilicity of the ion exchange precursor material;

activating the impregnated ion exchange precursor material to increase the porosity of the impregnated ion exchange precursor material, wherein

the ion exchange precursor material comprises at least one of nonmetallic printed (NMP) circuit board, amorphous aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof.