Extraction and separation of low-concentration Ga (III) in concentrated hydrochloric acid using supported liquid membrane via controlling the dissociation behavior of GaCl4- ions at interface

A new approach using water as the stripping phase for extraction and recovery of low-concentration Ga (III) from concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions by Aliquat 336-based supported liquid membrane (SLM) is suggested. Generally, the stripping of Ga (III) from the loaded organic phase during liquid-liquid two-phase stirring extraction using quaternary ammonium salt as an extractant is extremely difficult. However, in the present work, an efficient mass transfer of low-concentration Ga (III) through the SLM was observed by introducing a low acidity (pH=2) aqueous solution as the stripping phase of the SLM. It was revealed that dissociation of GaCl4- and HCl2- anions into Ga3+, Cl- and H+ ions at the stripping/membrane phase interface play an important role in driving the mass transfer of GaCl4- from the concentrated hydrochloric acid solutions towards stripping phases. Kinetic analysis suggests that the permeability coefficient of Ga (III) ions through the SLM is dependent on the reaction temperature, extractant Aliquat 336 concentrations, and the difference in Cl- concentrations between the two sides of the liquid membrane phase, but independent of H+ concentrations. In view of future’s applications for selective separation and recovery of low-concentration Ga (III) from the concentrated hydrochloric acid leaching solutions of various gallium-containing solid wastes, separation selectivity of Ga (III) against other coexisting metal impurity ions, such as Fe (II), Al (III), Mg (II) and Cu (II), was also evaluated.