Column Separation of Vanadium(V) from Complex Sulfuric Solution Using Trialkylamine-Impregnated Resins

Separation of V(V) from simulated complex vanadium-bearing (SCV) solution containing Al(III), Fe(III), P(V), and Si(IV) using trialkylamine (N235)-impregnated resins has been investigated. Batch experiments proved that the optimal pH for adsorption and separation of V(V) from impurities was 1.8. Column experiments showed that V(V) was well adsorbed and separated from the impurities under conditions of flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1) and bed height of 12 cm. Most of the impurities that adsorbed on the N235-impregnated resin were effectively eluted with only 2.92% loss of V(V) using 12 bed volumes (BV) of 2 wt.% Na2SO4. Afterwards, V(V) was concentrated about 3.4 times and most of it was recovered using cycle desorption with 1 BV of 14 wt.% Na2CO3. The concentration of the impurities in the initial feed solution was greatly decreased using the present method, implying that V(V) can be effectively separated from SCV solution by such column operations.