Magnetic nanohydrometallurgy applied to extraction of precious metals

• Grant number: 17/17578-6
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Henrique Eisi Toma
• Grantee: João Victor Mattioni
• Home Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The process of magnetic nanohydrometallurgy is being developed at the Institute of Chemistry of USP, aiming mainly at the capture and processing of precious and strategic metals from both conventional mining and urban recycling, mainly from electronic waste. For this, superparamagnetic nanoparticles are prepared, properly synthesized by co-precipitation techniques, followed by silica coating and functionalization with complexing groups, through the use of agents such as aminopropyltriethoxysilane, mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane and ethylenediamine propyltriethoxysilane, which will capture gold ions in Solution, and can be reduced to metallic gold using electrochemical techniques. Among these metals, gold occupies a prominent role and its value justifies the development of more modern methods of extraction and processing, employing nanotechnology. (AU)