Boron isotopic separation with pyrocatechol-modified resin by chromatography technology: Experiment and numerical simulation

Abstract

Boron isotopic separation was investigated experimentally and theoretically on boron-specific adsorbent, namely pyrocatechol-modified resin (CL-RESIN). The static adsorption results with initial boron concentration of 8.648gL−1 at 25°C were well fitted by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Henry isotherm model, from which relevant parameters were used for subsequent isotopic separation simulation by Aspen Chromatograph. The maximum static boron isotopic separation factor with CL-RESIN was 1.13 at 25°C, thus adsorption-based boron isotopic separation in a chromatographic column packing with CL-RESIN was further studied by experiments and simulations. 11B had greater affinity with CL-RESIN in concentrated boric acid solution with dynamic boron isotopic separation factor of 1.15 and enriched 10B was collected in effluent. Simulation of boron isotopic separation was completed, and simulated results were in good agreement with experimental breakthrough curves under the same conditions. Furthermore, the dynamic behaviors of boron isotopic separation were predicted by simulation under different operating conditions. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to determine optimized operating conditions in a chromatographic column. Consequently, the optimized operating conditions were achieved with flow rate of 1.24mLmin−1, 44cm column length, 0.46cm column diameter and feed concentration of 8.648gL−1.