Extraction and Adsorption Behavior of Co(II) on HTTA-Impregnated Polyurethane Foam

Abstract

The batch extraction of Co(II) from aqueous solutions with open cell polyethertype HTTA-loaded polyurethane (PU) foam has been studied using a radiotracer technique. The effect of pH, shaking time, and loading capacity has been investigated. The membrane properties of loaded PU foam sorbent offer unique advantage of adsorption. The fundamental studies of adsorption show that the classical Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms are followed in the entire concentration range of a 10^?5 to 10^?2 M solution of cobalt. The sorption mean free energy from the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm is found to be 13.8 kJ·mol^?1 and the loading capacity 4.44 mg·g^?1, suggesting that the ion-exchange or chemisorption mechanism operates. The kinetic parameters of adsorption also support a chemisorption mechanism and the first-order rate law. The rate constants and activation energies of sorption and desorption have been evaluated. The thermodynamic function of adsorption of ΔH, ΔS, ΔG, and equilibrium constant K _c have been calculated. The process of adsorption is established to be endothermic and chemisorption, stabilized through thermodynamic functions.