Fixed-bed column study for deep removal of copper (II) from simulated cobalt electrolyte using polystyrene-supported 2-aminomethylpyridine chelating resin

This study presents the deep removal of copper (II) from the simulated cobalt electrolyte using fabricated polystyrene-supported 2-aminomethylpyridine chelating resin (PS-AMP) in a fixed-bed. The effects of bed height (7.0-14.0 cm), feed flow rate (4.5-9.0 mL/min), initial copper (II) concentration of the feed (250-1000 mg/L), feed temperature (25-40 degrees C) and the value of pH (2.0-4.0) on the adsorption process of the PS-AMP resin were investigated. The experimental data showed that the PS-AMP resin can deeply eliminate copper (II) from the simulated cobalt electrolyte. The bed height, feed flow rate, initial copper (II) concentration of the feed, feed temperature and feed pH value which corresponded to the highest removal of copper (II) were 7.0 cm with 35 mm of the column diameter, 4.5 mL/min, 40 degrees C, 1000 mg/L and 4.0, respectively. The breakthrough capacity, the saturated capacity of the column and the mass ratio of Cu/Co (g/g) in the saturated resin were correspondingly 16.51 mg/g dry resin, 61.72 mg/g dry resin and 37.67 under the optimal experimental conditions. The copper (II) breakthrough curves were fitted by the empirical models of Thomas, Yoon-Nelson and Adam-Bohart, respectively. The Thomas model was found to be the most suitable one for predicting how the concentration of copper (II) in the effluent changes with the adsorption time.