RECOVERY OF NICKEL FROM A SIMULATED ELECTROPLATING RINSE SOLUTION BY SOLVENT-EXTRACTION AND LIQUID SURFACTANT MEMBRANE

In this paper, the recovery of nickel ions from a simulated Watts elec troplating rinse solution by solvent extraction and liquid surfactant membrane (LSM) was studied, in which di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid was selected as a mobile carrier. Important variables affecting the LS M permeation process, including the membrane viscosity (surfactant con centration), volume ratios of internal to organic phase and of W/O emu lsions to external phase, carrier concentration, internal droplet size , and nickel concentration in the external phase, were systematically investigated. The effectiveness of this LSM technique for nickel recov ery was demonstrated with better use of carrier over a comparable solv ent extraction operation.