Polymer filtration: An emerging technology for selective metals recovery
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
A new technology is under development to selectively recover regulated metal ions from electroplating rinse waters. The electroplating metal ions are recovered in a concentrated form with the appropriate counter ions ready for return to the original electroplating bath. The technology is based on the use of specially designed water-soluble polymers that selectively bind with the metal ions in the rinse bath. The polymers have such a large molecular weight that they can be physically separated using available ultrafiltration technology. The advantages of this technology are high metal selectivity with no sludge formation, rapid processing, low energy, low capital costs, and small size. We have tested and demonstrated the recovery of zinc and nickel (a new alloy electroplating bath designed to replace cadmium) from rinse waters. The metal-ion concentrate was returned to the original electroplating bath. Applications of this technology include waste treatment for textile, paint and dye production, chemical manufacturing, and nuclear reactor and reprocessing operations.
- OSTI ID:
- 210387
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9509139--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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