The ion exchange properties and equilibrium constants of Li+, Na+ and K+ on zirconium phosphate highly dispersed on a cellulose acetate fibers surface

Highly dispersed zirconium phosphate was prepared by reacting celullose acetate/ZrO2 (ZrO2 = 11 wt%, 1.0 mmol g(-1) of zirconium atom per gram of the material) with phosphoric acid. High power decoupling magic angle spinning (HPDEC-MAS) P-31 NMR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data indicated that HPO42- is the species present on the membrane surface. The specific concentration of acidic centers, determined by ammonia gas adsorption, is 0.60 mmol g(-1). The ion exchange capacities for Li+, Na+ and K+ ions were determined from ion exchange isotherms at 298 K and showed the following values (in mmol g(-1)): Li+= 0.05, Na+= 0.38 and K+= 0.57. Due to the strong cooperative effect, the H+/ Na+ and H+/ K+ ion exchange is of non ideal nature. These ion exchange equilibria were treated with the use of models of fixed tridentate centers, which consider the surface of the sorbent as polyfunctional sorption centers. Both the observed ion exchange capacities with respect to the alkaline metal ions and the equilibrium constants are discussed by taking into consideration the sequence of the ionic hydration radii for Li+, Na+ and K+. The matrix affinity for the ions decreases with increasing the cations hydration radii from K+ to Li+. The high values of the separation factors SNa+/Li+ and SK+/Li+ (up to several hundreds) support the application of this material for the quantitative separation of Na+ and K+ from Li+ from a mixture containing these three ions.