Cr-Based MOF for Efficient Adsorption of Au at Low Concentrations

The efficient enrichment and selection of Au are crucial for gold recovery. The adsorption technology is considered to have potential due to the advantages of operation simplicity and green processability. Nevertheless, the poor Au selectivity at low concentrations in complex solutions limits the further application of the adsorption technology. In this work, a novel Cr-based MOF adsorbent was successfully synthesized using 1,2,4-triazole and 4-aminobenzoic acid as ligands. Benefitting from the surface positive charge and extensive chelation and reduction sites, the novel Cr-based MOF exhibited a total adsorption capacity of up to 357 mg/g and excellent adsorption selectivity toward Au(III) in the complex metal mixed solutions, such as simulated sewage ash waste liquid and actual e-waste leachate. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics were discussed in depth for investigating the adsorption mechanisms of the MOF. The PXRD and XPS analyses reveal that the adsorption process involves complexation, redox, and electrostatic interactions. We believe that this study of novel Cr-based MOF adsorbents for efficient Au adsorption is meaningful for further application in the gold recovery technology from e-waste.