Ion-Exchange Properties of lon-Sieve-Type Manganese Oxides Prepared by Using Different Kinds of Introducing Ions

Abstract

Three ion-sieve-type manganese oxides, HMnO(Li), HMnO(Na), and HMnO(K), were prepared by acid treatments of Li⁺-, Na⁺-, and K⁺-introduced manganese oxides, respectively. Three oxides were obtained from γ-MnO² and the corresponding alkali metal hydroxides by heating at 600°C. The ion-exchange properties of the adsorbents were investigated by pH titration, K_d measurements, and the adsorption of metal ions from seawater. The selectivity sequences of alkali metal ions were Na⁺ < Cs⁺ < Rb⁺ < K⁺ < Li⁺ for HMnO(Li) and Li⁺ Na⁺ < Cs⁺ < K⁺ < Rb⁺ for HMnO(Na) and HMnO(K). The high selectivity of Li⁺ on HMnO(Li) can be ascribed to an ion-sieve effect of spinel-type manganese oxide which was produced from LiMn₂O₄ Since HMnO(Na) and HMnO(K) had [2 × 2] tunnels of edge-shared [MnO₆] octahedra, the high selectivities of K⁺ and Rb⁺ on these samples were used to explain that the sizes of the [2 × 2] tunnels were suitable for filling ions of about 1.4 Å in radius in a stable configuration. The order of metal-ion uptake from seawater was Sr²⁺ < K⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Na⁺ < Li⁺ for HMnO(Li), Li⁺ < Sr²⁺ < Mg²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Na⁺ < K⁺ for HMnO(Na), and Li⁺ < Sr²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Mg²⁺ < K⁺ < Na⁺ for HMnO(K).