About perspectives of photocatalytic reduction of metals from natural and man-made solutions. D.S. SHTAREV, A.V. SHTAREVA, N.V. BERDNIKOV
Keywords:
reduction of metals from solutions, visible-light photocatalysts, bismuthates of alkaline earth metalsAbstract
About perspectives of photocatalytic reduction of metals from natural and man-made solutions.
D.S. SHTAREV, A.V. SHTAREVA, N.V. BERDNIKOV (Yu.A. Kosygin Institute of Tectonics and Geophysics, FEB
RAS, Khabarovsk).
The results of experiments on the photocatalytic reduction of metals from solutions in the presence of visible light
photocatalysts based on bismuthates of alkaline earth metals are discussed. It is shown that the largest number of studied metals is successfully reduced from solutions in the presence of Ca5Bi14O26. The least prone to photocatalytic reduction were Li, B, Na, Al, Ca, Fe, Ba, W, Re. The Sr3Bi2O6 photocatalyst was the least effective for the recovery of metals from solutions under these experimental conditions. The prospects of photocatalysis for the selective reduction and isolation of niobium and tantalum from aqueous solutions are justified. Most of the elements after recovery are removed from the solution, apparently, deposited on the photocatalyst and the walls of the reactor. Reduced gold coagulates into particles, forming a suspension in solution.
The experimental results indicate the promise of research on visible-light photocatalysts based on bismuthates of alkaline earth metals for the development of technologies for the purification of natural and man-made solutions to produce valuable components from them.
