1991 separation and purification methods, chromatography

separation and purification methods, chromatography

V 0200 Iridium Recovery from Compact Metal Scrap. — In order to develop
24 - 257 a simple recovering process for iridium, the alloy formation of Ir and Cu and
Al is studied. It is found that iridium can be alloyed without difficulties with
Cu and Al regardless of the nature of the starting material. From Cu or Al
alloys containing 5-10 wt.% Ir, high recoveries of finely divided Ir powder (2-50
µm diameter) are obtained after treatment with acids or bases. However, the
resulting Ir powders contain 2-4 wt.% Cu or Al impurities and show a strong
tendency to chemisorb oxygen. The grain size of Ir is small enough to transfer
most of it (90-95%) by fusion (with Na2O2/NaOH at 400 ◦ C or NaCl/Cl2 at
600-700 ◦ C) into water-soluble compounds. From the aqueous solutions, Ir
powders with a purity of . gtoreq. 99.5% can be obtained by precipitation,
liquid-liquid extraction or ion exchange. — (KNOTHE, M.; SCHWARZ, K.;
FOERSTER, H.; J. Less-Common Met. 168 (1991) 2, 249-255; Freiberger
NE-Metall GmbH, Werkstoff-u. Technologiezent., O-9200 Freiberg/Sachsen,
Fed. Rep. Ger.; EN)