Challenge to the volatile separation and purification of platinum group metals by using vapor complex formation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K18906
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 26:Materials engineering and related fields
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Taninouchi Yu-ki 九州大学, 工学研究院, 准教授 (40644521)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-06-30 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 白金族金属 / 塩化反応 / 揮発分離 / 元素分離法 / リサイクルプロセス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study explored suitable reaction conditions for the chlorination and volatile separation of platinum group metals. The effectiveness of the method using alkali-metal or alkaline-earth-metal chlorides as chlorinating agents was investigated through thermodynamic analyses and experiments. Results showed that platinum group metals and their oxides could be chlorinated by high-temperature reactions with magnesium chloride in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. In addition, the effects of the coexistence of aluminum chloride vapor on the volatility of various platinum group metal chlorides was investigated, and the enhancement of volatile transport through vapor complex formation was confirmed for several chlorides.

Free Research Field

非鉄金属製錬

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

白金族金属の相互分離・精製は、水溶液中への溶解抽出から始まる多段かつ複雑な湿式処理によって行われており、元素回収まで長い時間がかかることや、有害な廃液が多量に発生することが課題となっている。本研究を今後さらに推し進めることによって、これら課題を解決する新技術を実現できる可能性がある。また、気相錯体形成現象を利用することで白金族金属の塩化揮発性を向上できることが確かめられたため、本現象に関する学術研究は今後大きな展開が見込まれる。