Yttrium and zirconium sorption on iron tin functionalized with silica: preparation, characterization, isotherm, and kinetic modelling

Abstract

The sorption of Zr(IV) and Y(III) was examined using an iron-tin silicate (FeSnSi) composite prepared by the co-precipitation technique. The analytical tools that characterize prepared composite are FT-IR, SEM, EDX, XRD, and XRF. The effects of temperature, pH, ion concentrations, and shaking time are all considered in the sorption studies conducted on Zr(IV) and Y(III). The sorption of studied metal ions depends on pH, and the pseudo-2nd-order model governs the kinetics of reactions. Negative Gibbs energy values confirmed the excellent feasibility and spontaneity of the sorption process. Positive enthalpy values indicate that this process was endothermic. Positive entropy values demonstrated that the disorder between the solid and liquid phases was enhanced during adsorption. Freundlich and Langmuir models are used to study isotherms. The results of the binary system verify that Zr(IV) may be separated from the Zr-Y system at various pHs. According to the findings, the produced composite may effectively remove Zr(IV) and Y(III) from aqueous solutions. It may also be viable for purifying wastewater contaminated with these metal ions.