On the possibility of tartaric acid and its salts application when disposing of waste copper plating electrolytes
M.A. Shumilova, F.F. Chausov, D.K. Zhirov, K.A. Novozhilov
Section: Ecologization of industry
Spent electrolytes, which pose a threat to the environment if unauthorized, are a secondary source for obtaining non-ferrous metals. Research has been conducted to determine the optimal conditions and physicochemical patterns of formation of copper(II) tartrates obtained as a result of precipitation of waste copper plating electrolyte (WCPE) with solutions of tartaric acid and its salts. It was established that the molar ratio of reagent:copper(II) for tartaric acid and ammonium tartrate is 2:1, and for potassium sodium tartrate – 1.5:1. The extraction ratio of copper from the electrolyte exceeds 98 % in the pH range of 3.5–4.0. We studied the effect of the order of reagent mixing on the completeness of metal ions extraction from WCPE, as well as the structure and composition of the resulting precipitates. It was found that the reaction of copper ions with a tartaric acid solution is best carried out in the synchronous precipitation mode, and the interaction with tartaric acid salts is best carried out in the direct precipitation mode. Using synchronous thermal analysis, it was proven that in the direct precipitation mode, monohydrate is formed, and in the synchronous mode, copper tartrate dihydrate is formed. Consequently, the production process technology must provide for the possibility of using both direct and synchronous deposition of metals, based on the optimal conditions for their isolation. The operation of the proposed technological module for the extraction of copper concentrates from spent electrolyte is described.
Keywords: waste copper plating solution, tartaric acid, potassium-sodium tartrate, ammonium tartrate, direct precipitation, synchronous precipitation, process module
Article published in number 3 for 2026 DOI: 10.25750/1995-4301-2026-3-123-130
ISSN 1995-4301
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