Prepared self-growing supported nickel catalyst by recovering Ni (Ⅱ) from metal wastewater using geopolymer microspheres

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials 2020-05, Vol.389, p.121919-121919, Article 121919
• Main Authors: Su, Qiaoqiao, Yang, Sijie, He, Yan, Qin, Zuzeng, Cui, Xuemin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CO2methanation; Geopolymer microspheres; Ni2+adsorption; Self-Growth nickel supported catalyst
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121919

[Display omitted] •The geopolymer microspheres are good Ni2+ adsorbents and Ni catalyst supports.•Na-geopolymer microspheres exhibit a high Ni2+ adsorption capacity of 414.38 mg/g.•The microsphere surface area increases from 10.46–125.35 m2/g after Ni2+ adsorption.•Recycled Ni2+ ions can be directly used as to be supported nickel catalysts.•The recovered catalysts exhibit high catalytic activity for CO2 methanation. Here, new and effective microsphere adsorbents were synthesized by NaOH activating slag based geopolymer (Na-SGS). These microsphere adsorbents upset the adsorption equilibrium with the maximum Ni2+ adsorption capacity of 414.38 mg/g which is much larger than that of other geopolymer materials. After Ni2+ adsorption from simulated nickel electroplating wastewater, more active positions for the adsorption Ni2+ ions on Na-SGS were provided as shifts from the average pore diameter of 22.00–7.44 nm, the pore volume of 0.06 to 0.25 cm3/g, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of 10.46–125.35 m2/g and the apparent change of new morphology. Moreover, the adsorbed Ni2+ species were distributed uniformly on Na-SGS. Thermodynamic performance reflected an exothermic, spontaneous and molecular disorder adsorption process, which can be easily controlled by the pH, dosage, initial concentration, contact time and temperature. Through the controllable adsorption, Na-SGS after Ni2+ adsorption (Na-SGS-Ni) was recycled and then reduced to be directly supported nickel catalysts (red-Na-SGS-Ni), which showed superior catalytic activity for CO2 methanation. Although the highest percent of CO2 conversation (XCO2 =99.54%) and methane selectivity (SCH4 =99.5%) are both at 300 °C, red-Na-SGS-Ni performed good XCO2 (99.48%) and SCH4 (98.2%) at low temperatures (100 °C).