New Publication in Chemical Engineering Journal Explores Selective Extraction of Indium and Gallium

19.09.2024

Gallium and indium are essential elements in optical electronics. This study introduces the innovative use of mesoporous silica sorbents for the selective extraction of these critical elements from multi-element solutions.

Unmodified SBA-15 silica exhibits outstanding capacity for gallium, while ligand-modified silica demonstrates efficient adsorption of indium. Both sorbents show high selectivity, with SBA-15 excelling at separating gallium from complex semiconductor-like solutions containing gallium, indium, and zinc. Meanwhile, the ligand-modified silica offers superior separation of indium from gallium and zinc. Their excellent reusability further highlights their potential for sustainable recovery in industrial applications.