Ultrasound augmented leaching of nickel sulfate in sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide media

A new method of preparation high purity nickel sulfate assisted by ultrasonic was studied. The process mechanism was analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS).The reaction mechanisms of oxidizing leaching and ultrasonic leaching were explored, respectively. Results showed that ultrasonic treatment peel off the oxide film on the surface of nickel. The leachate under strongly agitated, the yield rate of nickel sulfate was accelerate. And the reaction area was increased by the cavitation effect, the liquid-solid reaction was promoted, and the activation energy was reduced. The leaching rate of nickel reached 46.29% by conventional leaching, which takes about 5 h. Under the same conditions, the ultrasonic leaching rate reached 40%, only half of the conventional leaching time. Concentration of leaching agent, reaction temperature, ultrasonic power, leaching time had significant effect on the enhancement of the leaching reaction with ultrasonic radiation. The leaching rate of 60.41% under the optimum experiment conditions as follows: sulfuric acid concentration 30%, hydrogen peroxide 10%, leaching temperature 333 K, ultrasonic power 200 W and leaching time 4 h. The kinetic study of the system was investigated, and the reaction rates of conventional leaching and ultrasonic leaching were controlled by diffusion, and the apparent activation energies were 16.2 kJ/mol and 11.83 kJ/mol.