Highly efficient selective extraction of Mo with novel hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents

Area of Science:

• Green Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Metallurgy

Background:

• Growing interest in sustainable and economic methods for recycling valuable metals from spent catalysts.
• Need for environmentally friendly extraction techniques to minimize waste and resource depletion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and investigate novel hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the efficient extraction of molybdenum (Mo) from spent catalysts.
• To explore the factors influencing the extraction efficiency of these DESs.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of hydrophobic DESs using quaternary ammonium salts and fatty acids with varying carbon chain lengths.
• Systematic study of Mo extraction ability, mechanism, and influencing factors (pH, time, temperature, phase ratio).

Main Results:

• Synthesized hydrophobic DESs demonstrated excellent extraction performance for Mo, achieving a distribution ratio over 2200.
• Extraction efficiency reached 99% under optimized conditions, even in the presence of other metals.
• Identified key factors affecting Mo extraction, including DES composition and reaction parameters.

Conclusions:

• Hydrophobic DESs represent a promising class of materials for green and economical spent catalyst treatment.
• The developed DESs offer advantages such as low cost, low toxicity, and biodegradability.
• This study provides a novel approach for the effective recovery of Mo from spent catalysts, promoting circular economy principles.