Adsorption Of Au Research Articles

Highly efficient recovery of gold by thermally modified pyrite and its mechanism

Gold recovery from wastewater should be cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally friendly. In this study, adsorbents containing Fe(II,III) systems were prepared via thermal modification of pyrite. The effects of thermal modification temperature, the source of pyrite, pH, ionic strength, adsorbent solid–liquid ratio, and coexisting metal ions on adsorption were investigated. Further, the removability of iron ions was explored, and multiple adsorption–desorption experiments were conducted to verify the stability and recyclability of the adsorbent. The adsorption law and mechanisms were analyzed using adsorption isotherms, thermodynamics, kinetics, and spectroscopy. The results revealed that the natural pyrite modified at 300°C ( N-Py-300) was a more suitable gold adsorbent with a maximum adsorption of 1055.2 mg/g at 25 °C. When coexisting with other metal ions, N-Py-300 exhibited highly selective adsorption of Au(III). Using a mixture of 10 % thiourea and 2 % HCl as a desorbent facilitated the desorption of almost all Au from N-Py-300, resulting in the recovery of Au and the reuse of N-Py-300. The Fe ions released from the adsorbent were effectively reduced by the addition of Ca(OH)2. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm data were in strong agreement with the pseudo-secondary and Langmuir models, indicating that Au(III) was chemisorbed on N-Py-300 as a monolayer and that Au(III) was reduced to Au(0) and Au(Ⅰ). The pH and IS also affected the adsorption behavior, implying that an electrostatic effect exists. Our findings provide that the thermally modified pyrite can be used to recover precious metals from wastewater efficiently, and provides an experimental basis for the resourceful use of pyrite.

Selective Sorption of Noble Metals on Polymer Gel Modified with Ionic Liquid.

The solid phase extraction of Au, Ir, Pd, Pt, and Rh on a polymer gel modified with ionic liquid containing methylimidazolium groups (MIA-PG) has been investigated. The positively charged surface of the sorbent is highly suitable for the sorption of stable chlorido complexes of the studied analytes, while the retention of base metals Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Mn is negligible. Optimization experiments performed showed that, at 0.05 M HCl, the degree of sorption of Au, Ir, Pd, and Pt is above 95%, and only for Rh, the maximum degree is 65%; complete elution is achieved in the mixture of thiourea in HCl. The results obtained from the equilibrium adsorption studies are fitted in various adsorption models, such as Langmuir and Freundlich, and the model parameters have been evaluated. The kinetics analysis indicated that the adsorption of Au, Ir, Pd, Pt, and Rh onto the sorbent follows the pseudo-second-order model. Intraparticle diffusion and ion exchange reactions were the rate-limiting steps. Analytical procedures were developed for Pd, Pt, and Rh determination in road dust and soil and for Au determination in copper ore and copper concentrate. The procedures are validated by the analysis of certified reference materials. Analytical figures of merit confirmed their applicability in routine laboratory practice.

Efficient and sustainable recovery of Au(I) from thiosulfate solution by tri-n-butylphosphine functionalized chitosan microspheres with abundant pores

Thiosulfate as a green and environmentally friendly lixiviant has received great attention in the field of gold extraction. However, the problem of gold ion recovery in thiosulfate gold leaching solution has hindered the large-scale application of this technology. Here, tri-n-butylphosphine (TBUP) was used as a functional monomer to prepare an adsorbent (CTS-TBUP) with abundant pores through the ion crosslinking reaction of chitosan, which was used to recover Au(I) from Au[(S2O3)2]3− solution with high efficiency and large capacity. CTS-TBUP exhibited good potential for industrial applications with a gold loading capacity of 46.34 mg/g. CTS-TBUP exhibited a similar gold recovery performance for all pH ranges from 6 to 11, and the adsorption process of Au(I) on CTS-TBUP was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isothermal model. The mechanism by which CTS-TBUP adsorbs gold ions involves ligand exchange between TBUP and Au[(S2O3)2]3−. In addition, Au(I) on CTS-TBUP will be reduced to elemental gold by TBUP in CTS-TBUP. The mechanism of Au(I) adsorption by CTS-TBUP was also confirmed by density functional theory calculations, and confirmed the rationality of forming a complex with a coordination ratio of 2:1 between TBUP and Au(I) at the theoretical level. CTS-TBUP has a good affinity for gold ions in thiosulfate solution, which provides a new idea for the preparation of gold adsorbent.

Adsorption of Ag, Au, Cu, and Ni on MoS2: theory and experiment

Here, we present results of a computational and experimental study of adsorption of various metals on MoS2. In particular, we analyzed the binding mechanism of four metallic elements (Ag, Au, Cu, Ni) on MoS2. Among these elements, Ni exhibits the strongest binding and lowest mobility on the surface of MoS2. On the other hand, Au and Ag bond very weakly to the surface and have very high mobilities. Our calculations for Cu show that its bonding and surface mobility are between these two groups. Experimentally, Ni films exhibit a composition characterized by randomly oriented nanoscale clusters. This is consistent with the larger cohesive energy of Ni atoms as compared with their binding energy with MoS2, which is expected to result in 3D clusters. In contrast, Au and Ag tend to form atomically flat plateaued structures on MoS2, which is contrary to their larger cohesive energy as compared to their weak binding with MoS2. Cu displays a surface morphology somewhat similar to Ni, featuring larger nanoscale clusters. However, unlike Ni, in many cases Cu exhibits small plateaued surfaces on these clusters. This suggests that Cu likely has two competing mechanisms that cause it to span the behaviors seen in the Ni and Au/Ag film morphologies. These results indicate that calculations of the initial binding conditions could be useful for predicting film morphologies. In addition, out calculations show that the adsorption of adatoms with odd electron number like Ag, Au, and Cu results in 100% spin-polarization and integer magnetic moment of the system. Adsorption of Ni adatoms, with even electron number, does not induce a magnetic transition.

Flexible MOF@fabrics composites: The in-situ growth of metal-organic frameworks on cotton and selectively adsorption of gold(III) from aqueous solution

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show great potential applications in dealing with heavy metal pollution due to their unique large specific surface area, tunable pore size, and diverse active groups. However, the powder form of MOFs has suffered from the disadvantages of difficult recycling and secondary contamination after adsorption of heavy metals, which seriously limits their practical application. Therefore, in this work, we prepared a series of bifunctional zirconium-based MOFs cotton fabric composites (MCFC) via in situ growth of MOFs on carboxylated cotton fabric, exhibiting large specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and effective adsorption ability. The prepared CF-UiO-66-(OH)2-FA shows an excellent adsorption efficiency of Au(III) more than 99.990 %, and the saturated adsorption amount is up to 190.98 mg·g−1 at 25 °C. Meanwhile, the kinetic experiment analysis demonstrated that the Au(III) adsorption behavior of MCFC follows pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic model. More importantly, it also exhibits great selectivity in adsorbing Au(III) from the mixture of multiple metal ions coexisted solution. The results of adsorption thermodynamics and adsorption isotherms indicate that adsorption is monolayer and a spontaneous, exothermic process. And the ideal adsorption and separation process could be finished by quickly filtrating with a single or multi-layer MCFC. Excellent adsorption performance even after four cycles of adsorption. Therefore, the fabricated MCFC shows great processability, flexibility, collectability and reusability in adsorbing and recycling precious metal ion from wastewater.

Graphene/chitosan nanoreactors for ultrafast and precise recovery and catalytic conversion of gold from electronic waste

The extraction of gold (Au) from electronic waste (e-waste) has both environmental impact and inherent value. Improper e-waste disposal poses environmental and health risks, entailing substantial remediation and healthcare costs. Large efforts are applied for the recovery of Au from e-waste using complex processes which include the dissolution of Au, its adsorption in an ionic state and succeeding reduction to metallic Au. These processes themselves being complex and utilizing harsh chemicals contribute to the environmental impact of e-waste. Here, we present an approach for the simultaneous recovery and reduction of Au3+ and Au+ ions from e-waste to produce solid Au0 forms, thus skipping several technological steps. We develop a nanoscale cross-dimensional composite material via self-assembly of two-dimensional graphene oxide and one-dimensional chitosan macromolecules, capable of acting simultaneously as a scavenger of gold ions and as a reducing agent. Such multidimensional architecture doesn't require to apply any voltage for Au adsorption and reduction and solely relies on the chemisorption kinetics of Au ions in the heterogeneous GO/CS nanoconfinements and their chemical reduction on multiple binding sites. The cooperative phenomena in ionic absorption are responsible for the extremely high efficiency of gold extraction. The extraction capacity reaches 16.8 g/g for Au3+ and 6.2 g/g for Au+, which is ten times larger than any existing gold adsorbents can propose. The efficiency is above 99.5 wt.% (current limit is 75 wt.%) and extraction ability is down to very low concentrations of 3 ppm.

Harvesting low-cost gold-based catalysts from e-waste by a cationic covalent triazine organic framework for 4-nitrophenol reduction

Gold (Au)-based catalysts are commonly used for the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol, however, the high cost of Au has limited their widespread application. Therefore, developing affordable Au-based catalysts is highly desirable yet challenging. Herein, we synthesized a cationic covalent triazine framework to recover Au from e-waste, leading to the creation of cost-effective Au NPs@iCTF-TPM catalysts. Adsorption experiments demonstrate that cationic iCTF-TPM exhibits exceptional Au adsorption capabilities, with a maximum capacity of 1919 mg g−1. Notably, the iCTF-TPM selectively recovers Au from the e-waste leaching solution, achieving 99 % removal of Au within just 5 min. Moreover, the adsorbed AuCl4− can be self-reduced to form fine Au nanoparticles, resulting in the formation of Au NPs@iCTF-TPM catalysts. Remarkably, Au NPs@iCTF-TPM could convert 4-nitrophenol to 4-nitroaniline with a low activation energy of 26.15kJ mol−1 and a high rate constant of 1.73 × 10−2 s−1. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy indicates that the high catalytic activity is primarily due to the generation of active hydrogen radicals facilitated by Au NPs@iCTF-TPM. This study opens new avenues for developing low-cost Au-based catalysts from e-waste leaching solutions.

H2S gas sensing enhancement of Au-decorated SnO2 nanospheres synthesized using hydrothermal and microwave methods

In this study, non-oriented Au-decorated SnO2 nanospheres (NSs) were synthesized using hydrothermal and microwave methods. The SnO2 spheres ranged from hundreds of nanometers to a microscale. The oxygen vacancy on the surface increased after Au adsorption on the surface of the SnO2 NSs, ultimately showing a synergistic effect with the spillover effect of the existing Au catalyst. Specifically, at 100 °C and 200 °C, the response to 10 ppm H2S gas improved to 16.14 and 46.81, respectively. These gas sensing effects were approached individually by being divided into two disadvantages (oxygen adsorption and homojunction) and five advantages (oxygen vacancies, spill-over, surface area, H2S + SnO2 reaction, and H2S + O2 reaction). Based on this reference, we investigated SnO2 NSs of various sizes and functions by adjusting the process variables.

Selectivity Modulation of Multistep Reduction Reactions by Gold Nanoclusters

The selective synthesis of valuable azo‐ and azoxyaromatic chemicals via transfer coupling of nitroaromatic compounds has been achieved by fine‐tuning the catalyst structure. Here, a direct method to modulate nitrobenzene reduction and selectively alter the product from azobenzene to azoxybenzene by employing the size effect of Au is reported. Au nanoclusters (NCs) with smaller sizes embedded in ZIF‐8 controllably converted nitrobenzene into azoxybenzene, while supported Au nanoparticles (NPs) catalyzed nitrobenzene reduction to azobenzene. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy on CO adsorption (CO‐DRIFTS) of Au NC/ZIF‐8 revealed a higher valence state and a lower electron density of Au than that of Au NP/ZIF‐8, combined with the desorption of azoxybenzene from the Au NC and Au NP surface, suggesting that the Au NCs with lower electron density exhibit stronger adsorption. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and charge density difference maps indicated that azoxybenzene bonded to Au NC/ZIF‐8 with greater adsorption energy, resulting in more electron transfer between azoxybenzene and the generated Au sites, which inhibited further reduction of azoxybenzene and resulted in high azoxybenzene selectivity. The application of the size effect of Au particles to regulate nitrobenzene transfer coupling provided new insights into the structure‐selectivity relationships.

Selectivity Modulation of Multistep Reduction Reactions by Gold Nanoclusters.

The selective synthesis of valuable azo- and azoxyaromatic chemicals via transfer coupling of nitroaromatic compounds has been achieved by fine-tuning the catalyst structure. Here, a direct method to modulate nitrobenzene reduction and selectively alter the product from azobenzene to azoxybenzene by employing the size effect of Au is reported. Au nanoclusters (NCs) with smaller sizes embedded in ZIF-8 controllably converted nitrobenzene into azoxybenzene, while supported Au nanoparticles (NPs)catalyzed nitrobenzene reduction to azobenzene. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy on CO adsorption (CO-DRIFTS) of Au NC/ZIF-8 revealed a higher valence state and a lower electron density of Au than that of Au NP/ZIF-8, combined with the desorption of azoxybenzene from the Au NC and Au NP surface, suggesting that the Au NCs with lower electron density exhibit stronger adsorption. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and charge density difference maps indicated that azoxybenzene bonded to Au NC/ZIF-8 with greater adsorption energy, resulting in more electron transfer between azoxybenzene and the generated Au sites, which inhibited further reduction of azoxybenzene and resulted in high azoxybenzene selectivity. The application of the size effect of Au particles to regulate nitrobenzene transfer coupling provided new insights into the structure-selectivity relationships.

Nitrogen-rich sulfur-containing heterocyclic adsorbents for effective selective adsorption of Au(III)/Pd(II)/Pt(IV)

Recovering precious metals from secondary resources has elicited considerable attention, and exploring an efficient adsorbent is a challenge. In this work, we have specifically tailored three highly effective adsorbents (THDA@PEI, DCTA@PEI and DCTD@PEI) by crosslinking PEI with sulfur-containing heterocyclic cross-linking agents (2,5-thiophenedicarboxaldehyde, 2,4-dichlorothiazole and 3,4-dichloro-1,2,5-thiadiazole) for recovery of Au(III), Pd(II), and Pt(IV). These agents are distinguished by a range of nitrogen atom counts that extend from zero to two, offering a foundation for exploring the correlation between their molecular structure and adsorption performance. THDA@PEI, DCTA@PEI, and DCTD@PEI exhibit remarkable adsorption capacities for Au(III), Pd(II), and Pt(IV), with values reaching up to 2169, 2240, and 2536 mg/g for Au(III), 771, 886, and 846 mg/g for Pd(II), and 832, 1021, and 887 mg/g for Pt(IV), respectively. Among the three materials, DCTD@PEI stands out with a broader pH applicability range for both gold (pH 2 to 9) and platinum (pH 1 to 11) adsorption and exhibits a more rapid adsorption rate for Au and Pd. The adsorption processes of the three adsorbents on precious metals are spontaneous and entropy-increasing processes. Increasing the adsorption temperature could improve the adsorption performance of the three adsorbents, except for Pd adsorption by DCTD@PEI. All of the three adsorbents exhibit good selectivity and reusability for Au, Pd, and Pt, with DCTA@PEI being the most outstanding. It is observed that an increase in nitrogen content in the adsorbents correlates positively with the improvement of key performance indicators, including a wider pH range, higher adsorption capacity, faster kinetics, better selectivity, and enhanced reusability, while the substituent positions of crosslinking agents also have a strong impact on the adsorption performance, especially for Pd and Pt.

A robust aerogel incorporated with phthalocyanine-based porous organic polymers for highly efficient gold extraction

The gold recovery from electronic waste liquid is of great significance to the recycling of precious metals and environmental restoration. Adsorption method is the preferred technique for gold recovery, but its expansion and application prospects were often limited by the workability and recyclability of common solid powder adsorbents. Herein, a solid absorbent powder (phthalocyanine-based POP, TD-POP) was integrated into chitosan/polyethyleneimine aerogel (TD-POP@CS/PEI-2) via a facile cross-linking and lyophilization strategy. As expected, TD-POP@CS/PEI-2 possessed outstanding mechanical toughness and stability, demonstrating efficient and specific adsorption for Au (III). The maximum adsorption capacity was 2169 mg g−1, higher than most of the absorbents. TD-POP@CS/PEI-2 aerogel also exhibited fast kinetics (recovery efficiency of 81.3 % within 3 h), good selectivity (recovery efficiency of 98.35 % at 10 times concentration of Al3+, Zn2+, Cu2+ Cd2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, and Cr6+ than Au ions) and reusability (eight times). Multiple characterizations revealed the adsorption mechanism, which implied that the excellent adsorption properties of the aerogel were ascribed to the electrostatic attraction between cationic aerogel and AuCl4− anion, coordination interaction between nitrogen-containing active sites and Au (III), and reduction of Au (III) by TD-POP@CS/PEI-2 aerogel. This work provides a valuable and promising strategy to design scalable and sustainable adsorbents for capture precious metals, also promotes the development of integral adsorbent for environmental remediation.

Efficient extraction of gold from aqueous solution by azo-phenylthiourea functionalized Zr-MOF

The design and synthesis of effective adsorbent for extracting gold from wastewater has significant environmental and economic implications. However, the development of an adsorbent with high efficiency remains challenging. Herein, we report the synthesis of an azo-phenylthiourea functionalized metal-organic framework (MOF, azo-PT-UiO-66) and its application for the adsorption of Au(Ⅲ) from aqueous solution. The performance of azo-PT-UiO-66 was significantly improved as compared with the unmodified MOF, achieving an adsorption capacity up to 650.07 mg/g. Based on the results of kinetic, isothermal and thermodynamic studies, the adsorptive behaviour was a homogeneous and spontaneous chemisorption. Moreover, characterizations revealed that the appearance of metallic gold was caused by the reduction of Au(Ⅲ) via -NH2 groups. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed that the chemisorption is owing to the formation of coordinate bonds between azo, S and Au(Ⅲ). This work provides a clean and sustainable method for the recovery of gold from industrial wastewater.

Defatted microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis: A sustainable source for gold recovery

The defatted microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis (HP), obtained from various production lots, were subjected to two different treatments: drying without chemical treatment (DH1, DH2, and DH3) and treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid (TH1, TH2, and TH3). These treated materials were employed as efficient and eco-friendly adsorbents to investigate the adsorption behavior of Au(III) in acidic chloride media. The treated adsorbents demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving 100 % adsorption of Au(III) across a broad range of hydrochloric acid (HCl) concentrations from 0.01 to 5.00 M, whereas the dry adsorbents exhibited up to 90 % adsorption only at low HCl concentrations. Both dry and treated adsorbents exhibited superior selectivity for Au(III) in the presence of a mixture of precious metal ions. The adsorption isotherms of Au(III) followed the Langmuir type of adsorption mechanism, and the maximum adsorption capacities for Au(III) were estimated as 1.57, 0.88, and 1.52 mol kg–1 for DH1, DH2, and DH3, and 6.17, 4.80, and 5.37 mol kg–1 for TH1, TH2, and TH3, respectively. The adsorbed Au(III) ions were reduced to the elemental state, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns, scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analyses, and digital micrographs of the adsorbents after Au(III) adsorption. Successful desorption of the adsorbed Au(III) was achieved using acidic thiourea solution.

Selective adsorption of gold ion in wastewater with competing cations by novel thiourea-reduced graphene oxide

In this study, selective adsorption experiments of Au were carried out using graphene oxide (GO) and thiourea-reduced GO (TU-rGO). Adsorption experiments using Au, Cu, Pb, and Zn were performed with GO and TU-rGO in order to selectively adsorb Au from simulated waste electric and electronic equipment leachate or printed circuit board wastewater. Optimal adsorption conditions were determined, adsorption isotherm models were fitted, and desorption and regeneration experiments were performed. Additionally, GO and TU-rGO were characterized to better understand the material and propose the adsorption and desorption mechanisms for TU-rGO. It was found that TU-rGO could selectively adsorb Au, achieving a high efficiency of 95‒99% at initial Au concentrations of 0.1‒10 mg L−1 with little to no adsorption of Cu, Pb, and Zn. Moreover, the desorption efficiency of Au by ammonium thiosulfate reached 94% with the adsorption efficiency of TU-rGO decreasing from 99 to 78% after five adsorption and desorption cycles. Isotherm adsorption experiments indicated that the Langmuir model better fitted the adsorption of Au than the Freundlich model. This implied that the adsorption process was mainly controlled by monolayer coverage, with a high Au adsorption capacity of approximately 833 mg g−1 for TU-rGO.

Hierarchical V2O3 spiny hollow nanosphere for efficient adsorption of precious metal ions in complicated matrices

Treatment of precious metals in electronic waste has attracted tremendous attention and is essential for both environmental protection and resource sustainable development. In this study, a novel adsorbent for precious metal ions, V2O3 spiny hollow nanospheres (p-V2O3 SHN), was synthesized through a one-step hydrothermal-assisted methodology for the adsorption of Au(III), Ag(I), Pd(II), and Pt(IV) from the leaching solution of electronic waste. The results reveal that the p-V2O3 SHN hierarchy was successfully constructed with a hollow structure and dense spiny morphology. The prepared p-V2O3 SHN can effectively remove precious metal ions such as Au(III), Ag(I), Pd(II), and Pt(IV), with the selective capture order being Au(III) > Ag(I) > Pt(IV) > Pd(II) > other metal ions. This superior adsorption capability can be attributed to the multi-diffusible, intermingled composition, and numerous active sites decorating the p-V2O3 SHN hierarchy, facilitating the uptake of Au(III), Ag(I), Pd(II), and Pt(IV) ions from electronic waste. The Langmuir model provided a better fit for the uptake process, revealing maximum uptake capacities of 833.33 mg/g for Au(III), 370.37 mg/g for Ag(I), 77.51 mg/g for Pd(II), and 42.01 mg/g for Pt(IV) on p-V2O3 SHN. Remarkably, p-V2O3 SHN exhibited a robust affinity for the adsorbate due to the presence of surface defects and reduction. The new p-V2O3 SHN also demonstrated good reusability for three sorption cycles, highlighting its potential for electronic waste treatment. Due to its facile synthesis and excellent efficiency, hierarchical p-V2O3 SHN presents itself as a promising candidate for the selective uptake of Au(III), Ag(I), Pt(IV), and Pd(II) from electronic waste.

Atomic-level into the microscopic mechanism of gold capture by FeS during gold collection in matte process

Understanding the microscopic mechanisms involved in gold capture by FeS at the atomic level is crucial for optimizing the matte process and improving the gold recovery from gold concentrate containing arsenic and antimony. Herein, the DFT method was employed to explore the adsorption structure and electronic characteristics of a gold (Au) atom on the FeS surface. Furthermore, the effects of Fe/S vacancy and As/Sb dopant on Au adsorption were also investigated. The results reveal that the FeS(100) with S termination exhibits the smallest surface energy (0.56 J/m2) and possesses the highest stability amongst the low-index surfaces. Furthermore, the Au atom exhibits a preference for adsorption on the Fe-bridge site of FeS(100) through chemisorption due to the formation of a strong Au-Fe metallic bond, large adsorption energy (−5.40 eV), and small adsorption distance. Moreover, the presence of S vacancy enhances the Au capture capability of FeS(100) with an adsorption energy of −6.35 eV, while the Fe vacancy slightly weakens it. Additionally, the doping of As and Sb enhances the adsorption of Au atoms on FeS(100), and the Sb doping showcases a more distinct enhancement in Au capture efficiency. The findings of this work contribute to the advancement of matte processing technology, enabling enhanced gold recovery and potentially opening new avenues for the treatment of refractory gold ores.

Ionic liquids functionalized chitosan: An effective, rapid and green adsorbent for gold recovery

Thiosulfate has been considered as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to cyanide salts for the extraction of gold from gold ores and the development of affordable, green and efficient adsorbents for the isolation of gold-thiosulfate complex (Au(S2O3)23−) from the leaching solution remains a significant challenge. To address this issue, chitosan, a natural macromolecule, was selected as a carrier and chemically modified with ionic liquids. The ionic liquids modified chitosan showed greater adsorption capacity towards Au(S2O3)23− compared with pristine chitosan. The adsorption of Au(S2O3)23− on ionic liquid modified chitosan followed Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic models, involving an anion-exchange mechanism with liquid film diffusion as the rate-limiting step. The chitosan modified with butylimidazolium-based ionic liquid had an adsorption capacity of 5.0 mg g−1 for gold (10 mg L−1 of gold, pH 6, 2 g L−1 of adsorbent dosage), outperforming other reported adsorbents. The ionic liquid modified chitosan showed a high adsorption efficiency of up to 96.7 % for Au(S2O3)23− in an actual thiosulfate leaching solution with a desorption efficiency of 98.4 %, suggesting that the ionic liquid modified chitosan has the potential to be a eco-friendly, biocompatible and effective adsorbent for the recovery of Au(S2O3)23−.

Selective adsorption/reduction of Au in electronic waste recycling wastewater by self-assembled thiourea-crosslinked reduced graphene oxide framework ball

The increased production of electrical and electronic waste (E-waste) has resulted in a greater Au presence in E-waste than in ores. As such, it is imperative to selectively recover Au from the wastewater of E-waste. In this work, a designed self-assembled thiourea-crosslinked reduced graphene oxide framework (TU-rGOF) balls for fixed-bed reactors was successfully synthesized via a facile crosslinking reaction between thiourea (TU) and graphene oxide (GO), in which TU simultaneously transforms GO into reduced graphene oxide (rGO) during the heating process. This material exhibits excellent adsorption performance and reduced Au(III) into Au0 in aqueous solution. The adsorption efficiency reaches 95 % between pH 1 and 3. Most importantly, the TU-rGOF ball demonstrated high selectivity toward Au(III) among coexisting metal ions, including Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), and Ni(II). 99 % of Au(III) at a low concentration (1 or 10 mg/L Au(III)) in a highly acidic solution (pH 2.0) was removed, yielding a maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 97.09 mg g−1 (TU-rGOF ball) and 833.3 mg g−1 (TU-rGO only). The best adsorption fitting to the Langmuir model also suggests monolayer coverage of Au on the TU-rGOF ball surface. Based on scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, Au(III) adsorption by TU-rGOF ball was proposed to be governed by chelation and redox. Furthermore, TU-rGOF balls also exhibited excellent selective adsorption performance (∼90 % Au adsorption at an Au concentration ∼ 1 mg/L) in real E-waste wastewater (pH = 0.07) containing significant amounts of competitive ions. This study provides novel implications for applying TU-rGOF balls to fixed-bed reactors for low-concentration Au(III) recovery from complex recycled E-waste solutions.

Protonated covalent organic frameworks for green and effective recovery of Au(I) from thiosulfate solutions: Performance, DFT calculations, and mechanism insights

The recovery of Au(I) from thiosulfate leaching systems is important to ensure the sustainable use of strategic metal resources. In this study, two ionic covalent-organic frameworks (iCOFs), Tmp-Tpa COF-Cl and Tmp-Tpa COF-SO4, were synthesized through a post-modification strategy guided by theoretical calculations. Acid modification redistributed the surface charge of Tmp-Tpa COF due to the protonation of nitrogen atoms, which enabled the efficient and selective recovery of Au(I) from a thiosulfate solution. The Au(I) adsorption capacities of Tmp-Tpa COF-Cl and Tmp-Tpa COF-SO4 were 69.8 mg/g and 71.3 mg/g, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of previously reported materials. Adsorption equilibrium isotherms and kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of Au(I) onto iCOFs conformed to the Langmuir and quasi-second-order kinetics model, showing that Au(I) underwent uniform monolayer chemisorption on the surface of the iCOFs. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that the adsorption of Au(I) onto Tmp-Tpa COF-Cl and Tmp-Tpa COF-SO4 was mainly because acid modification converted –C = N to –C = NH+-, which enhanced the strength of electrostatic attraction and coordination with Au(S2O3)23− complexes. Acidic thiourea rapidly eluted Au(I) adsorbed onto the iCOFs and simultaneously regenerated Tmp-Tpa COF-Cl. Even during the fifth adsorption/desorption cycle, the adsorption and desorption efficiencies of the iCOF still reached 86.6 % and 97.7 %, respectively. In addition, Tmp-Tpa COF prepared by Knoevenagel condensation was inexpensive (less than $50/kg) and did not require the use of organic solvents, enabling large-scale green production. This work provides an innovative method for the efficient, selective, and high-capacity recovery of gold from thiosulfate leachate.