Grafted polymer membranes with extractive agents for the extraction process of VO2+ ions

To conduct experiments related to the facilitated extraction phenomenon and recovery of vanadium ions VO₂⁺, two grafted polymer membranes were prepared; containing respectively cholic acid and azithromycin as extractive agents and the obtained membranes were characterized. All experiments for the facilitated extraction phenomenon of these ions were carried out. Kinetic and thermodynamic models, based on the interaction of the substrate S (VO₂⁺) with the extractive agent T, and the diffusion of the formed entity (TS) through the membrane were developed, to determine the macroscopic parameters, permeability P and initial fluxes J₀, and the microscopic parameters, association constants K_ass and apparent diffusion coefficients D*, related to the formation of entities TS and their diffusion. A clear evolution of these parameters, depending on various factors (substrate concentration C₀, extractive agent concentration and feed and receiving phases temperature), and high permeabilities for this extraction phenomenon of VO₂⁺ ions were observed for this membrane type. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.