Electricity-driven dealkalization of bauxite residue based on thermodynamics, kinetics, and mineral transformation

High alkalinity content of bauxite residue is a major factor that hinders resource reutilization and pollutes the environment. Although acid neutralization is a direct and effective method, the amount of acid and secondary waste of sodium salt are still difficult problems to solve. Herein, we innovatively integrated an electric field into the acid neutralization dealkalization of bauxite residue and analyzed the dealkalization behavior by thermodynamics, kinetics, and mineral transformation. The results show that the pH of the anode chamber was maintained at the acidic levels of 3-6 after 30 min of galvanostatic electrolysis, and bauxite residue can realize dealkalization by acid neutralization. In the anode chamber, Na+ was released into the leachate via the reactions of Na3Al3Si3O12 and the removal of encapsulated soluble alkali. The stainless steel wire mesh anode exhibited its superiority and decreased the Na2O content in bauxite residue from 9.48 to 3.13% through convective mass transfer driven by the electric field and steady-state diffusion under stirring. This research provides a promising method for the electricity-driven dealkalization of bauxite residue, thus facilitating the development of multifield coupling theory and the application of electric fields in the alumina industry.

An electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance study of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin electropolymerization process

The process of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin electropolymerization has been studied by the quartz crystal microbalance method in different electrodeposition conditions. The films were deposited in two modes: in potentiostatic conditions (at the potential of [Formula: see text]2 V) and in potentiodynamic conditions (CV with the potential scan rate of 20 mV/s). The effect of electrolysis parameters on 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin electropolymerization has been studied by obtaining films in two modes and using two supporting electrolytes: tetrabutylammonium perchlorate or tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate. The biggest film mass gain was observed on a clean electrode surface. At further film deposition on the polyporphyrin-coated electrode, the film mass growth stopped. The electrodeposition effectiveness was somewhat higher in the potentiodynamic conditions, with the formation of a looser film. The nature of the supporting electrolyte did not have a significant effect on the electrodeposition process. A significant contribution to the deposition was made by the electrode material. The film thickness was 25–80 nm. The films possessed [Formula: see text]-type conductivity; and the flat-band potential for poly-H[Formula: see text]T(4-OHPh)P obtained in potentiodynamic conditions was 0.33 V, for poly-H[Formula: see text]T(4-OHPh)P obtained in potentiostatic conditions it was 0.16 V.

Electrochemical determination of antioxidant properties of a series of tetraphenylporphyrin derivatives and their zinc complexes

Zinc complexes of a series of substituted tetraphenylporphyrins containing OH-groups in the phenyl rings were synthesized. Their antioxidant capacity was estimated in reaction of the porphyrins with 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) by cyclic voltammetry. The electron absorption spectra of the all synthesized compounds before and after the reaction with 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl were recorded. The effect of structure of the porphyrins and zinc complexes on their antioxidant capacity was discussed.