Recovery of Indium(III) from a Hydrochloric Acid Medium with Two Types of Solvent Impregnated Resins Containing Sec-octylphenoxy Acetic Acid

Abstract

A solvent impregnated resin (SIR) with sec-octylphenoxy acetic acid (CA-12) impregnated on a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer support (HZ818) was first prepared. To improve the stability of the first SIRs for indium adsorption, a novel type of SIR (NSIR) had been prepared by forming a PVA–boric acid protective layer on the first SIR containing CA-12. The NSIR and SIR were characterized, and their adsorption behavior for indium(III) were compared by batch and column methods in a hydrochloric acid medium. Both the NSIR and SIR showed high adsorption capacities for In(III) at pH 3.0, and the maximum adsorption capacities increased with temperature. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo second-order model fit the experiment data well at different temperatures. The NSIR showed better stability and reusability than the SIR. It is possible to separate In(III) from a mixed solution containing Zn(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and In(III) at pH 3.0 from hydrochloric acid medium with SIR and NSIR.