The effects of pH and counterion at liquid-liquid extraction of rare metals with carboxylic acid modified thiacalix[6]arene at the lower rim

Abstract

The effect of pH and counterion of solvent extraction for the metal cations was investigated with thiacalix[6]arene derivative as extracting reagents. In this study, a novel thiacalix[6]arene derivative was synthesized from modification of carboxylic acid at a lower rim of thiacalix[6]arene. The mixed metal solution, which was used at liquid-liquid extraction, was prepared from automotive catalyst residue including the rare metals(Rh, Pd, Pt, Zr, Ce, Ba, Al, La, Y). The derivative of thiacalix[6]arene shows high selectivity and extraction capability of Pd and Zr cations which extractability were over 80% at pH 0.8.