Selective recovery of indium from scrap LCD panels using macroporous resins

Abstract

Abstract This papers details a simple, sustainable approach for the recovery and concentrating of indium from waste scrap LCD panels. After manual dismantling, the glass fraction of the panel was pulverized through a mechanical treatment, Indium from crushed glass was then mobilized in an acidic solution such as HCl:HNO3 lixiviant followed by an ultrasonic wave. Indium was successfully adsorbed by three macro porous polystyrene-divinylbenzene resins (Lewatit TP 208, Lewatit TP 260 and Amberlite IRA 743) and the influence of pH, weight of resin, contact time, temperature and type of resin on the efficiency of sorption process were investigated and the optimum condition was found. Theoretical calculations, indicated the In(III) phase formed through the leaching process was InCl3(aq). The adsorbed In(III) onto the resins was effectively desorbed in acidic medium to prepare concentrated indium solution. For the kinetic study, the adsorption onto Lewatit TP 208, Lewatit TP 260 and Amberlite IRA 743 could be fitted to pseudo second-order.