Title: Copper cementation on iron using copper sulphate solution with different organic solvents

Authors: Priyabrata Pal; Muhammad Nazim; Ahmed Al Shoaibi; Binay K. Dutta

Addresses: Department of Chemical Engineering, The Petroleum Institute, P.O. Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Abu Dhabi Polymers Company (Borouge), P.O. Box 11764, Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Department of Chemical Engineering, The Petroleum Institute, P.O. Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Paribesh Bhavan, 10A, Block – LA, Sector III, Salt lake City, Kolkata – 700098, India

Abstract: Cementation reaction has been used to remove copper from aqueous solution using iron. The objective of the research has to study and characterise the particles obtained during reaction and also to determine purity of the particles by using different solvents. The reactions have been carried out with a specific concentration of copper sulphate with fixed volume of different solvents and iron of standard dimensions. The size of the particles was measured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and copper purity using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). In this study, 1-butanol, acetone, tricholoroethylene and n-heptane were used with water as solvents. It was found that 1-butanol is the most suitable with respect to the smallest size of the particles having 93.78% (by weight) of copper. It was found that solvents have considerable effect on the particle size and purity of the produced copper particles.

Keywords: copper cementation; iron; copper sulphate; organic solvents; copper particles; copper removal; particle size; purity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2014.067010

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2014 Vol.6 No.4, pp.415 - 425

Received: 01 Feb 2012
Accepted: 28 Dec 2012
Published online: 31 Jan 2015 *

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