Separation of palladium and nickel in solution

Return to the list of questions or ask a question.

Category: Refining and Recovery

Subject: Separation of palladium and nickel in solution

Question

I have a waste plating solution which contains both nickel and palladium. I plan on putting this solution through a cation exchanger and regenerate the resin with hydrochloric acid in order to obtain nickel chloride salts. However, due to the similar positive charge on palladium the final nickel salt will be contaminated with palladium. Is there any way that I can isolate the palladium (precipitation/oxidation) before I put the solution through the cation exchanger so that the nickel salts will not be contaminated?

Answer

The palladium could possibly be selectively recovered by passing the solution through Smopex (likely 105 or 112) before passing it through the cation exchanger to subsequently remove the nickel. The Smopex (105) could also be regenerated using HCl to give a PdCl₂ solution. This process would have to be tested in the lab.

Smopex^® is a fibrous metal scavenging system with a wide range of applications, from product purification to effluent treatment.

Answer posted 24 October 2007

Submitted by: Ms Orla Gallagher

Answered by: Joanne Frankham

Affiliation: Johnson Matthey