Selective sodium removal from lithium chloride brine with novel inorganic ion exchanger

Abstract

Natrium superionic conductor (NASICON) ceramics present interesting sensitive and selective properties against alkaline cations due to their structure. The powder of Li_1.4La_0.4Zr_1.6(PO₄)₃ has been synthesized by a solid phase reaction. The removal of sodium was studied in an extensive series of tests involving different ionic exchange process variables such as time and temperature. The results indicated that its exchange capacity is very high, even reach 41.3 mg/g. The Na/Li ion exchange reaction rate increased obviously with increasing temperature, and the kinetic data fitted well to the equation of Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov with a regression coefficient value of above 0.99.

KEY WORDS: Brine, Lithium chloride, Sodium, Separation

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2013, 27(2), 241-248.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v27i2.9