Sorption and permeation behaviour of metal thiocyanate complexes on cellulose acetate polymers

Various metal thiocyanate complexes in aqueous solution were sorbed on solid cellulose acetate polymers. The sorption selectivity increased in the order Zn(2+) > Fe(3+) > Cu(2+) > Co(2+) > Ni(2+). The sorption behaviour followed a Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 6.1 x 10(-5) mole of complex per g of polymer under optimum conditions. The zinc species sorbed appear to be NH(4)Zn(H(2)O)(SCN)(3) or (NH(4))(2)Zn(SCN)(4) according to analysis of the sorption equilibrium. The ion-association species formed by the complex zinc anion and the ammonium ion was supposed to be sorbed (or "extracted") onto the polymer matrix. As an application of sorption of metal complexes, a new hyperfiltration process was proposed for selective separation of metal ions. Thus, a mixture of metal thiocyanate complexes was hyperfiltered through cellulose acetate membranes. Permeation of certain metal complexes was preferred, and the selectivity was found to be similar to the sorption selectivity. These findings lead to a generalized idea that hyperfiltration separation of ionic species, particularly anionic metal complexes, can be attained by using polymer membranes which selectively adsorb or extract such ionic species as ion-association complexes onto the polymer matrix.