Gallium (Ga) and vanadium (V), as critical strategic metallic elements, find extensive utilization across diverse industrial sectors. Given their trace concentrations and the complex chemical environment of Bayer liquor, substantial challenges are confronted in recovering these metals (Ga and V) from such a matrix. Thermodynamic analysis of the V-H2O and Ga-H2O systems (0.0027 M V5+, 0.0059 M Ga3+) revealed that in strongly alkaline Bayer liquor, V predominantly exists as VO43− (with minor HVO42−), while Ga exists exclusively as [Ga(OH)4]−. This study employed JK Amidoxime Chelating resin to treat industrial Bayer liquor from Guangxi (China). Through systematic batch adsorption experiments, the optimal conditions were determined as follows: a liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio of 40:1 (mL·g−1), an operating temperature of 85 ℃, and an adsorption contact time of 630 min. Under these optimal conditions, the vanadium/gallium (βV/Ga) separation factor was = 2.56, with adsorption efficiencies of 27.73% for Ga(III) and 70.99% for V(V), enabling preferential vanadium extraction. Kinetics studies revealed that Ga(III) and V(V) adsorption follows pseudo-second-order models; activation energy analysis confirmed chemisorption dominance for V(V). Isotherm modeling indicated Ga(III) adsorption conforms to the Langmuir model while V(V) fits the Freundlich model, and negative Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) values verified the spontaneous nature of both adsorption processes. Multi-technique characterization (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET)/Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) elucidated that the resin’s slit-shaped mesopores (Type IV isotherms, H3 hysteresis loops) facilitate ion diffusion, and amidoxime groups (-C = NOH/-NH2) act as core active sites, forming stable V–N coordination bonds (678 cm−1 FTIR peak) with V(V). Cyclic tests (five adsorption–desorption cycles) confirmed practical application potential, though capacity decay was observed, attributed to both stable V-resin interactions and 12 M NaOH-induced resin degradation (amidoxime group hydrolysis, mesopore structure erosion). Despite promising performance, inherent limitations include low Ga(III) adsorption efficiency, suboptimal cyclic stability, lack of suitable Ga(III) kinetic models, and static experimental deviation from industrial dynamic processes, with future research focusing on resin modification, model development, dynamic tests, and industrial factor investigation to address these issues. Graphical Abstract

Adsorption Performance for V(V) and Ga(III) in Industrial Bayer Liquor by JK Amidoxime Chelating Resin

期刊论文
发表日期：

2026年5月7日

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Xuze Li,
Guixiang He,
Yibing Li,
Yancong Li,
Weiguang Zhang,
Zhonglin Li,
Wenyun Zhu,
Xuexian Jiang

摘要

Gallium (Ga) and vanadium (V), as critical strategic metallic elements, find extensive utilization across diverse industrial sectors. Given their trace concentrations and the complex chemical environment of Bayer liquor, substantial challenges are confronted in recovering these metals (Ga and V) from such a matrix. Thermodynamic analysis of the V-H₂O and Ga-H₂O systems (0.0027 M V⁵⁺, 0.0059 M Ga³⁺) revealed that in strongly alkaline Bayer liquor, V predominantly exists as VO₄³⁻ (with minor HVO₄²⁻), while Ga exists exclusively as [Ga(OH)₄]⁻. This study employed JK Amidoxime Chelating resin to treat industrial Bayer liquor from Guangxi (China). Through systematic batch adsorption experiments, the optimal conditions were determined as follows: a liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratio of 40:1 (mL·g⁻¹), an operating temperature of 85 ℃, and an adsorption contact time of 630 min. Under these optimal conditions, the vanadium/gallium (βV/Ga) separation factor was = 2.56, with adsorption efficiencies of 27.73% for Ga(III) and 70.99% for V(V), enabling preferential vanadium extraction. Kinetics studies revealed that Ga(III) and V(V) adsorption follows pseudo-second-order models; activation energy analysis confirmed chemisorption dominance for V(V). Isotherm modeling indicated Ga(III) adsorption conforms to the Langmuir model while V(V) fits the Freundlich model, and negative Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) values verified the spontaneous nature of both adsorption processes. Multi-technique characterization (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET)/Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) elucidated that the resin’s slit-shaped mesopores (Type IV isotherms, H3 hysteresis loops) facilitate ion diffusion, and amidoxime groups (-C = NOH/-NH₂) act as core active sites, forming stable V–N coordination bonds (678 cm⁻¹ FTIR peak) with V(V). Cyclic tests (five adsorption–desorption cycles) confirmed practical application potential, though capacity decay was observed, attributed to both stable V-resin interactions and 12 M NaOH-induced resin degradation (amidoxime group hydrolysis, mesopore structure erosion). Despite promising performance, inherent limitations include low Ga(III) adsorption efficiency, suboptimal cyclic stability, lack of suitable Ga(III) kinetic models, and static experimental deviation from industrial dynamic processes, with future research focusing on resin modification, model development, dynamic tests, and industrial factor investigation to address these issues.

Graphical Abstract