Preparation and Adsorption Properties of λ-MnO2-Cellulose Hybrid-Type lon-Exchanger for Lithium Ion. Application to the Enrichment of Lithium Ion from Seawater

Abstract

Abstract spherical beads of a hybrid-type ion-exchanger (HIE) have been prepared by dispersing microcrystalline λ-MnO2 in macroporous cellulose gel beads. The beads were 0.1 to 0.3 mm in diameter and contained 0.71 g λ-MnO2/g dry HIE. The ion-exchange behaviors of HIE for lithium and sodium ions were investigated by batch and column methods. The uptakes for lithium and sodium ions were 2.8 and 0.1 mmol/g dry HIE, respectively, at pH 12.3 by the batch method and 1.0 and 0.1 mmol/g dry HIE at pH 11.6-11.8, respectively, by the column method. When 1.52 L seawater was passed through a column containing 0.05g wet HIE at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, 2.0 mg lithium/g dry HIE was recovered, indicating that the enrichment ratio for lithium ion was 1.3 × 104 mL/g and the enrichment factors for lithium ion to sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium ions were 7.1 × 104, 1.7 × 103, 1.0 × 103, and 6.9 × 103, respectively.