A new method for preparation of silica potassium cobalt hexacyanoferrate composite ion exchanger from silica sol

A new method for the preparation of porous silicapotassium cobalt hexacyanoferrate (SiO₂ ^.KCoFC) composite from silica sol is described. Silica sol was first gelled with K₄Fe(CN)₆ solution. Then the resulting hydrogel, SiO₂ ^.K₄Fe(CN)₆ was reacted with Co(NO₃)₂ solution in acetone to give the composite SiO₂ ^.KCoFC hydrogel. The empirical formula of KCoFC in the composite was found to be K₁.₆₉Co _0.93Fe(CN)₆. The removal efficiency of the composite for Cs was judged by measuring its distribution coefficient, K _d in 1M HCl solution containing 10 ppm Cs. The K _d of Cs was found to be 5.73^.10⁵ ml/g-composite.