Studies on inorganic ion exchangers. Part 5. Preparation, properties and application of antimony(III) arsenate and antimony(III) molybdate

Abstract

Two inorganic ion-exchange materials, antimony(III) arsenate and antimony(III) molybdate, have been synthesised and characterised. The distribution coefficients of 12 metal ions in de-mineralised water were determined. The order of selectivity was found to be Cd²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Pb²⁺ < Cu²⁺ < Th⁴⁺ < Hg²⁺ for antimony(III) arsenate and Mg²⁺ < Th⁴⁺ < Ni²⁺ < Zn²⁺ < Co²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Hg²⁺ < Cd²⁺ < Cu²⁺ < Pb²⁺ < Bi³⁺ < Sn²⁺ for antinomy(III) molybdate; Zn²⁺, Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ were not adsorbed by antimony(III) arsenate. The effects of temperature and of the size and charge of the exchanging ion on the exchange capacity were determined and successful separations of Hg²⁺ from Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cd²⁺, and Pb²⁺ from Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were carried out on columns of antimony(III) arsenate and antimony(III) molybdate, respectively.