Hydrophobic silica nano-tube immobilized with Cyanex 272 for the extraction of metal ions

Abstract

This paper reports on the synthesis and application of hydrophobic silica nano-tubes immobilized with Cyanex 272 (HBSNC) as a new, inexpensive and easily prepared solid-phase extractant for the extraction of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solution. The extraction had occurred due to the complexation of metal ions with Cyanex 272 in silica tubes. For the preparation of silica nano-tubes template method and to make these tubes hydrophobic co-precursor method with ambient drying was used and finally Cyanex 272 was immobilized with these nanotubes. Hydrophobicity of silica nano-tubes were evaluated by washing the tubes with water and studied the extraction performance of both materials of before and after wash as a function of pH of aqueous solution and metal ion concentration. The extraction performance was almost the same before and after washing. The maximum extraction capacity of hydrophobic nano-tubes was found to be 0.35 mmol/g