Cobalt-extraction studies on dithiocarbamate grafted on silica gel surface

Extraction of cobalt(II) ion from aqueous solution was studied using silica gel grafted with dithiocarbamate ligand (Si–dtc), which was prepared by reacting silica gel with γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane followed by alkaline carbon disulfide. 29Si MAS NMR, IR spectra were taken to establish the grafting of dithiocarbamate ligand on silica gel. This modified surface contains 0.37 mmol g−1 of the ligand sites available for the extraction of cobalt. The sorbent extracts cobalt only when the pH of the aqueous phase is above 7 and the extraction process does not follow ideal ion-exchange mechanism. The electronic absorption spectra of cobalt present in the sorbent phase suggested the oxidation of Co(II) to Co(III). Kinetic data were fitted to surface complexation model and the rate constant (ks) for such model was found to vary from 1.5×10−3 to 5.82×10−3 l mg−1 min−1 depending on the initial concentration of cobalt. An estimate of enthalpy and entropy changes accompanying the extraction was obtained by temperature variation method. The increase in the overall entropy of the system seems to favour the extraction of cobalt by Si–dtc.