System and method for removal of metals from solution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9994964-B2
Application number	US-201414776812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

A process to extract metal ions and potentially other hazardous species present in solution to levels low enough to make it suitable for use and/or to quantify the levels of these contaminants in the solution. The process involves the use of functionalized magnetic particles to bind with metal ions. The process occurs in a three-chambered cell and utilizes a magnet to agglomerate the magnetic particles bound with metal ions to an electrode, and by altering the pH of the solution within the cell using gases produced by a solid state electrolyzer or from the air, encourages the plating of the metal ions on the electrode and the pushing out of the metal-free solution out of the cell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solution treatment apparatus for treating a solution containing a metal material, the apparatus comprising:
a cell comprising a first chamber and a second chamber,
the first chamber comprising:
a first electrode on a first end of the first chamber;
a second electrode on a second end of the first chamber, the second end of the chamber being opposite the first end of the first chamber;
a potentiostat connecting the first electrode to the second electrode; and
an electrolyte solution comprising a solution comprising a metal, and further comprising functionalized particles comprising a functional group suitable for binding the metal;

the second chamber abutting the first chamber on the second end of the first chamber,
the second chamber containing
a solid state polymer electrolyzer located on a side of the second chamber distant from the first chamber; and
a pure gas or gas mixture;

a third chamber containing water and water vapor; and
a magnet removably associated with the first electrode of the first chamber.

2. The solution treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is porous carbon with platinum/iridium, 4.6 mg/cm 2 .

3. The solution treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second chamber contains a gas chosen from: nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, or a combination or two or more thereof.

4. The solution treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer is of a solid polymer type.

5. The solution treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solution is chosen from an aqueous or non-aqueous solution.

6. The solution treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solution comprises water.

7. The solution treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the solution is a salt solution.

Assignees

• Univ Case Western Reserve

Inventors

• Scherson Daniel
• Samia Anna Cristina
• Feng Zhange

Classifications

• C02F1/46104

  Devices therefor; Their operating or servicing · CPC title

• B03C1/30

  Combinations with other devices, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• C02F2001/46142

  Catalytic coating · CPC title

• C02F1/66

  by neutralisation; pH adjustment (for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58) · CPC title

• B03C1/01

  by addition of magnetic adjuvants · CPC title