Optimization of Removal of Calcium Ions Forming During Synthesis of Boric Acid from Ulexite Ore by Using Ion Exchange Resin

Year 2018, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 109 - 117, 05.07.2018

Tuba Hatice Doğan Ahmet Yartaşı

https://doi.org/10.30728/boron.325756

Abstract

Ulexite (Na₂O·2CaO·5B₂O₃·16H₂O) is one of the most important raw materials for boric acid,
synthesized by dissolving the ore in an acid solution. Since ulexite ore was
dissolved in a phosphoric acid solution, the final solution included boric acid (H₃BO₃), sodium
dihydrogen phosphate [NaH₂PO₄], and
calcium dihydrogen phosphate [Ca(H₂PO₄)₂].
The presence of several ions in the solution causes separation
problems for boric acid. This study includes a special separation step to increase the purity of the
boric acid that is synthesized
from the dissolution of ulexite ore in phosphoric acid. For this
purpose, calcium ions in the
final solution were removed using Dowex HCR-S cationic ion exchange resin. Additionally, the Taguchi
optimization method was employed to monitor the removal of calcium ions.
The design of
experiments included an orthogonal array
technique in L₉ array for three parameters with three different
values; reaction temperature (12 ^oC, 25 ^oC, 40 ^oC),
stirring rate (250 rpm, 300 rpm, 350 rpm), and the amount of resin material
(10% wt., 30% wt., 50% wt.). The results of the calculations revealed that the
optimum values of temperature, stirring rate, and amount of resin are 12 ^oC,
350 rpm, and 50% wt., respectively. The amount of calcium removed under optimum
conditions was found as 79.49%.

Keywords

Ulexite, Boric Acid, Calcium Removal, Ion Exchange Resin

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