Enhanced Gallium Extraction Using Silane-Modified Mesoporous Silica Synthesized from Coal Gasification Slag

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Coal gasification coarse slag (CGCS) is an industrial waste with potential for valuable metal recovery.
• Efficient and cost-effective methods for gallium extraction are in demand.
• Developing sustainable processes for utilizing industrial byproducts is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a low-cost, efficient method for gallium extraction from CGCS.
• To synthesize and characterize mesoporous silica from CGCS for gallium adsorption.
• To evaluate the adsorption performance and recyclability of the synthesized material.

Main Methods:

• One-step acid leaching of CGCS to synthesize mesoporous silica.
• Characterization of materials using SEM, FTIR, XRD, and BET analyses.
• Gallium (Ga(III)) adsorption experiments, including kinetics, isotherms, and competitive adsorption studies.

Main Results:

• Mesoporous silica with a surface area of 258 m²/g and pore volume of 0.15 cm³/g was synthesized.
• Achieved 99% Ga(III) adsorption efficiency.
• The adsorbent maintained over 85% adsorption efficiency after five cycles, demonstrating good recyclability.

Conclusions:

• Acid leaching of CGCS is an effective route to produce mesoporous silica for gallium extraction.
• The synthesized material shows high efficiency and recyclability for Ga(III) adsorption.
• This approach offers a sustainable method for gallium recovery from industrial waste, with potential applications in vanadium-rich solutions.