Preparing Sodium Tungstate from APT Crystal Mother Liquor

APT is short for ammonium paratungstate. It’s mainly white crystal with flake or needle shape. It’s used in the manufacture of tungsten trioxide or blue tungsten oxide. And it’s also used for manufacturing ammonium metatungstate and other tungsten compounds as additives in oil chemical industry.
 
The influence of resin on adsorptionUsing ion exchange method can recycle sodium tungstate from APT crystal mother liquor. Through the experiment, following conclusions can be drawn:
1. The impact of resin form on adsorption: results of using Cl type or OH type resin to exchange pH = 3. 7 of material liquid are as picture. Because D354 resin is a weak base resin with large affinity to OH, it’s difficult to exchange. And Cl resin exchange for tungsten acid is much better. Before this, tungsten trioxide in the effluent concentration is under 0.39 / L. Therefore, the exchange resin should be Cl type.
2. The influence of flow rate: A column of material liquid flow rate for l, 2 m/h, and the turning point of outflow curve differs about one times. This phenomenon may be related to tungsten in acidic solution polymerization into large ion, the resin inside the diffusion rate of restricting the exchange rate, therefore, showed a slower rate of exchange, solution flow rate are requested not to fast.
3. The influence of pH: With the decrease of pH, the exchange of the turning point of curve BVR number increasea, namely through some delay. But when the pH is 2.9, solution has been unstable. Material liquid easily forms precipitation. Therefore, the material liquid is advisable for pH ~ 4.
4. The influence of the desorbed agent concentration on desorption: 
Too big alkaline is bad for weak base resin. NaOH is an effective desorption agent of tungsten. At the same time, with NaOH increasing from 5% to 10%, lifting curve is steeper and maximum concentration degree can reach 18.
5. The effect of improving the desorption rate: Increasing the desorption rate from 2 m/h to 4 m/h, better effect of desorption can be received.
 
In conclusion, using weak alkaline macroporous resin to adsorb APT crystal mother liquor under acidic condition can obtain considerable exchange capacity. Load resin is easy to use NaOH desorption effectively. Sodium tungstate from desorption can obtain larger enrichment degree. Sodium tungstate can be prepared by evaporation and crystallization. Therefore, this method is a simple and feasible way of recycling tungsten and its investment and construction scale is small. Process is short. 

Ion Exchange Method Recycling Sodium Tungstate from APT Crystal Mother Liquor

China's tungsten resources are very rich and reserves always rank first in the world. But through many years of exploitation and lack of protection of the tungsten resources, serious damage and huge waste of tungsten resources are caused. Because the new resources fail to timely supply, tungsten resources available for exploitation are sharply reducing. Tungsten resources in China are facing a severe situation. Therefore, recycling tungsten increasingly brings to the attention of the people. Some experts have studied the recovery of tungsten in APT crystal mother liquor.
 
Early use resin D296 to recycle tungsten in acid liquid. Use NaOH to desorb and enrich tungsten. Then Convert D354 ion exchange resin, with ammonia desorption agent. At this point, the resin exchange capacity increases and the desorption rate enhances. At the same time, use iron sulfide to remove molybdenum. Therefore, recycling ammonium tungstate can be conventional evaporated and crystallized to produce APT with less molybdenum. 
 
This paper studies the best conditions of producing sodium tungstate of mother liquor by D354 resin absorption without removing molybdenum and NaOH desorption, evaporation and crystallization. The results show that D354 ion exchange resin has high capacity and easy desorption. This process has the advantages of short process, less investment, easy mastery and good working conditions. 
 
The method of using ion exchange method to recycle sodium tungstate   from APT crystal mother liquor is divided into the following steps:
1. The mother liquor is from the production workshop. Tungsten trioxide is 10.58 g/L, pH = 6.
2. Put the swelling Cl type D354 resin intoφ15 mm glass exchange column in the case of knocking pillars and the resin volume is 100 ml.
3. Use hydrochloric acid to adjust the material liquid to the required pH value after exchange column adsorption. Wash with distilled water after adsorption. At last, use NaOH solution to desorb. 
4. Using NaOH to transform resin to OH type, resin volume changes. But when calculating the flow rate, volume of resin is calculated at 100 ml. The reagents are C.P. level.

 

Sodium Tungstate Solution Activity Coefficient

Concept of activity was put forward firstly by G.N.Lewis in 1907. It is quickly applied in electrochemistry to determine the activity coefficient of electrolytes in aqueous solution. Activity coefficient refers to the ratio of activity and the concentration. Due to the interaction between ions in the electrolyte solution, the total concentration of electrolyte can’t represent its effective concentration. An experience correction factor (activity coefficient) needs to be introduced to indicate the deviation of actual solution and ideal solution.
 
Activity-CoefficientDue to the different measuring methods of sodium tungstate in the aqueous solution activity coefficient, the results have larger differences. This paper combining with inorganic salt aqueous solution thermodynamic properties, measures the activity coefficient of sodium tungstate in aqueous solution by the equal-pressure method. Experimental methods can be divided into following three points:
1. Take a certain amount of sodium tungstate, potassium chloride and sodium chloride to match into the appropriate concentration of solution and place them in the glass dryer.
2. Put the dryer on waterbath shake frame, swing 20 times per minute to build the balance. The balance time of the system varies with different concentrations.
3. After balance, weigh sample dish and calculate the concentration of the solution balanced from the change of solution. The solution with appropriate attenuation, repeat the above operation to dilute the concentration of 0.3mol.kg-1.
 
In 1981, Goldberg and others reported the activity coefficient calculated value of sodium tungstate solution within 0.001-2.25mol.kg-1 concentration. Value In each of the corresponding concentrations is higher than the experiment between 0.03 and 0.04. Deviation is normal. Curve 1 and 2 in figure also show that the activity coefficient changing with the concentration consistently. When concentration increases, the activity coefficient decreases. When the concentration reaches 1.4mol.kg-1, activity coefficient begins to increase again. But the change range is same with the high temperature and both are relatively small. The curve 3, 4 and 5 in the graph are the results of the high temperature. Seeing from curve, the higher the temperature is, the smaller the activity coefficient value is. As temperatures rising, strong interactions occur in the ions of the solution. This effect will strengthen with the increase of concentration.

CVD Diamond Coated Carbide Cutting Tool——Technical Matters (2/2)

Last but not the least, the binding force or adhesion is the most important problem of diamond coating and tungsten carbide matrix, which is also the major technical matter of most of coated cutting tool confronted with. Theoretically, in the process of machining, if the adhesive force between diamond coating and the matrix is too low, CVD diamond coating will be peeled off and become invalid early under the collective effect of the cutting force and the friction (especially in the cutting process with high speed or high load), which largely decreases the cutting property and service life of coated cemented carbide cutting tool.

However, the most difficult problem of the binding force confronted with is cobalt (Co) in tungsten carbide. Due to Co will promote the conversion of graphite to diamond (graphite and diamond are allotrope, and Co can be synthesized to the catalytic of diamond under high pressure) under high temperature and high pressure. But it will promote the growth of graphite under low temperature and low pressure (the growth conditions of CVD diamond).

Thus, CVD diamond is hard to nucleate and it has a huge influence on the binding force of diamond film and becomes invalid. In order to improve the binding force of CVD diamond coating and tungsten carbide matrix, we should take advantage of pre-treatment. The related researchers has proposed some new process, such as acid erosion or plasma etching to remove cobalt (Co), applying a variety of over-plating, mechanical or chemical heat treatment and so on. Although these methods are still in a development stage, it indicates that CVD coated cemented carbide cutting tool has a broad application prospect.

CVD Diamond Coated Carbide Cutting Tool——Technical Matters (1/2)

Based on tungsten carbide cutting tool, it deposited a layer of diamond coating by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which makes it not only have the properties of tungsten carbide, but also have the excellent properties of diamond coating, such as high hardness and good wear resistance. Evaluation of the quality of diamond coating is mainly in the structure of film, the defects, especially the existence of the cracks. The existence and expanding of the cracks will remarkably decrease the comprehensive properties and serve life of the cutting tools. Therefore, in order to optimize diamond coated cemented carbide cutting tool, some new processing are emerging based on traditional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD), such as low pressure CVD, plasma CVD, vacuum cathodic arc deposition (VCAD), DC arc plasma spraying CVD, hot wire CVD and so on.

Next, sharpening process after finishing is also the major problem in diamond coated cemented carbide cutting tool. Due to the diamond coating by CVD is composed of coarse particles, which is difficult to ensure high precision cutting. In addition, sharpening process is too complicate to have a bad influence on the quality and service life of diamond coating during the process. Thus, the relevant researchers through improved diamond film deposition process conditions to obtain micron, even nano diamond film, which makes the sharpening process not so necessary and decrease the fabricating cost and effectively avoid the problems of sharpening process brings in.

coated cemented carbide

 

Polymorphic Nanosize Tungsten Trioxide Produced Continuously from Ammonium Paratungstate 2/2

Equipment requirements: fused quartz tube with air inlet and outlet pipe; tubing furnace; ceramic crucible.
Reactants: carbon cloth; ammonium paratungstate (APT); argon.

Specific steps as following:
1. Take out fused quartz tube, place carbon cloth at the end of inner wall of air outlet, and then sent fused quartz tube with carbon cloth traverse in a tube furnace;
2. Heating tube furnace to make sure the fused quartz tube heating up to the  temperature of 1250°C-1400°C, and the heating rate keeps in 50°C/min;
3. Sent the ceramic crucible with APT into the used quartz tube, and keep it in zone of specified temperature, blowing argon with flow lL/min-6L/min;
4. Keep the temperature in the specified value for 40~60min, turn off the inlet and stop blowing argon;
5. Take out carbon cloth to collect polymorphic nanosize tungsten trioxide, and remove out the ceramic crucible;
6. Repeat steps 1-5, to achieve continuous production.
Noted that work as following should be done at each cycle:
1. Clean the fused of quartz tube for removing residual products, if the wall isn’t washed, the contamination of subsequent preparation will be occurred;
2. Place a new carbon cloth around the inner wall of the glass tube;
3. Take the ceramic crucible with APT to temperature constant zone;
4. Inlet argon again.

The advantage of this method is that the size and purity of WO3 powder can be controlled because of the high purity APT selected; preparation process simplified, shorten production cycle; lower cost and energy consumption. At the same time, the loose degree of the powder generated is really high, and there is no need to broken again.

 

Polymorphic Nanosize Tungsten Trioxide Produced Continuously from Ammonium Paratungstate 1/2

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is a kind of importantηtype semiconductor oxides with varieties of crystal structure, and has been applied in fields of electrochromic, photochromic, sensing, and catalysis. The size of quasi-spherical and spherical tungsten trioxide is respectively 100nm-700nm and 20-200nm. These two kinds of WO3 can used as precursor for synthesing nanosize tungsten carbide; the length of diagonal of octahedral tungsten trioxide is less than 1μm, used as gas sensing to produce gas sensor because of the high sensitive; the length of diagonal of WO3 with irregular polyhedral angle is about 10nm-2μm, and it can be used to adsorb organic molecules, or used to photodegradate organic material. The more fine particles the WO3 is, the more superior property the subsequent products. Therefore, reducing size of WOis the best way to further utilize the excellent properties of WO3 and broaden its application field.

Nanosize tungsten carbide powder

Vapor Deposition Method is one of the most effective methods to prepare nano structure, and a variety forms of particles produced by the technology of vapor deposition, such as thin films, whiskers and particles ect.. And the Vapor Deposition Method can produce product with high purity from the low concentration of reactants. But the disadvantage of conventional Vapor Deposition Method is the limited yield; and it can’t achieve producing continuously because of products collected in the environment of high vacuum or temperature. This paper presents a method that can produce polymorphic nanosize tungsten trioxide continuously, take APT.XH2O as raw material, innovatively combine Vapor Deposition Method with calcination, take argon as carrier gas, collect the products in the area of low temperature, and then achieve the goal of producing polymorphic nanosize tungsten trioxide continuously.

 

Nanosize Tungsten Trioxide Produced by Electro-Pyrolytic from Ammonium Paratungstate

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is yellow powder, a kind of important tungsten oxide, also known as yellow tungsten oxide. At present, it’s mainly used in the manufacture of tungsten powder (W) and tungsten carbide powder (WC). The main final products of WO3 are tungsten rod, tungsten wire and tungsten carbide and so on. In order to obtain WO3 with better chemical activity, and meet the demand of special alloy with superior properties, we propose a new method--Electro-Pyrolytic to prepare nanosize tungsten trioxide.
Nanosize tungsten trioxide
Equipment: electromagnetic stirrer; evaporator; drying equipment; grinding equipment; crucible.
Reaction materials: high purity of ammonium paratungstate (APT) with size about 5 μm, purity greater than 99.9%; distilled water; citric acid; ammonia; oxygen.

Specific steps as follows:
1. Adding distilled water into the reaction vessel, and use electromagnetic stirrer for mixing, adding citric acid solution with stirring;
2. When the citric acid solution and distilled water are mixed evenly, adding high purity of APT with stirring, the molar ratio of APT and citric acid is 1:3;
3. Adding ammonia with concentration of 30% to APT solution, stirring at the speed of 180-200r/min;
4. Place the reaction solution in the evaporator to concentrate, drying the concentrated liquid in the drying equipment at the temperature of 150~160°C, and then get the precursor;
5. Precursor grinded in the grinding equipment, heating it in a crucible with oxygen, finally gets nanosize tungsten trioxide. Calculate the flow of oxygen at each gram of precursor for 50-60ml/min, heating temperature for 500~520 °C, time for 1.2~1.5h.

 

Wolframite and Tungsten Ore

Wolframite, (Fe,Mn)WO4, is an iron manganese tungstate mineral that is the intermediate between ferberite (Fe2+ rich) and hübnerite (Mn2+ rich). Along with scheelite, the wolframite series are the most important tungsten ore minerals. Wolframite is found in quartz veins and pegmatites associated with granitic intrusives. Associated minerals include cassiterite, scheelite, bismuth, quartz, pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite.
 
This mineral was historically found in Europe in Bohemia, Saxony, and Cornwall. China reportedly has the world's largest supply of tungsten ore with about 60%. Other producers are Canada, Portugal, Russia, Australia, Thailand, South Korea, Rwanda, Bolivia, the United States, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
 
The name "wolframite" is derived from German "wolf rahm", the name given to tungsten by Johan Gottschalk Wallerius in 1747. This, in turn, derives from "Lupi spuma", the name Georg Agricola used for the element in 1546, which translates into English as "wolf's froth" or "cream". The etymology is not entirely certain but seems to be a reference to the large amounts of tin consumed by the mineral during its extraction. Wolfram is the basis for the chemical symbol W for tungsten as a chemical element.
 
Wolframite was highly valued as the main source of the metal tungsten, a strong and quite dense material with a high melting temperature used for electric filaments and armor-piercing ammunition, as well as hard tungsten carbide machine tools. In World War II, wolframite mines were a strategic asset, due to its use in munitions and tools.
 
Wolframite is considered to be a conflict mineral due to the unethical mining practices observed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Wolframite

Spectrophotometry Determine Fe Element in Tungsten Trioxide

spectrophotometrySpectrophotometry is qualitative and quantitative analysis method for the substance by measuring the absorbance or emission intensity of the test substance in a specific wavelength or range of wavelengths of light. When the solution is a bunch of intensity I0 monochromatic vertical irradiation of a substance, due to the portion of the light is absorbed by the system, thus the intensity of the transmitted light is reduced to I, T is the light transmittance of the solution is: according to Lambert (Lambert) - Beer (Beer) Law: A = abc. Where A is the absorbance, b is the thickness of the solution layer (cm), c is the concentration of the solution (g / dm ^ 3), a is the extinction coefficient. There are relationships between the absorption coefficient of the nature of the solution, temperature and wavelength and other factors. Solutions of other components (solvents, etc.) are available to deduct by blank liquid absorption of light ion.

From the above equation, when the thickness of the solution layer b and a are fixed a, which can show a linear relationship in the concentration of the solution and the absorbance A. When we have quantitative analysis, determine a solution for absorption of different wavelengths of light (absorption spectrum) is needed, which determines the maximum absorption wavelength. We take this wavelength of light as the light source, a series of known concentrations measured absorbance c solution A, and making A ~ c curve. In the analysis of an unknown solution that is based on the measured absorbance A, checking the working curve we can determine the corresponding concentrations. This is the basic principle of spectrophotometry measurement of concentration.

We find the stability enables the method sensitivity, contrast and enhanced complex improving in the test of 5-Br-PADAP-Pe (Ⅱ) system that adding non-ionic surfactant emulsifier OP and ethanol. In the conditions of 5-Br-PADAP-Fe (Ⅱ) complex formation emulsifier OP pluralism, and in the presence of ethanol and an emulsifier OP, pH3.5-10H Ac-NaAc buffer medium, Fe (Ⅱ) with 5-Br -PADAP generates purple complex at a wavelength of 558nm, the Fe content in the 0-60μg / 50ml law is obeyed in the range, the complex apparent molar absorption coefficient is 7.64 × 10 ~ 4. Color remains completely within five minutes, the absorbance is stable within 24 hours at room temperature, this method has good selectivity.

 

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