Separation and Recovery of Copper and Nickel in the Leachate of a Waste IC Lead Frame through Synergistic Solvent Extraction Using a Binary Extractant Containing LIX984N and Cyanex302 Followed by Selective Stripping

Li-Pang Wang (), Jia-Yan Lin, Yan-Jhang Chen, Bu-Ching Tseng, Ching-Hsiang Hsu, Mingyin Kou, Heng Zhou and Paiboon Sreearunothai ()
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Li-Pang Wang: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, College of Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
Jia-Yan Lin: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, College of Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
Yan-Jhang Chen: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, College of Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
Bu-Ching Tseng: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, College of Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan
Ching-Hsiang Hsu: UWin Nanotech, Co., Ltd., New Taipei City 236, Taiwan
Mingyin Kou: School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Heng Zhou: School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Paiboon Sreearunothai: Functional Advanced Materials Engineering Research Center, School of Integrated Science and Innovation, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani 12121, Thailand

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: The IC lead frame is an essential component in semiconductor packaging, primarily composed of a nickel (Ni)–copper (Cu) alloy in which Ni is electroplated onto a Cu substrate. In this study, synergistic solvent extraction using a binary extractant containing LIX984N and Cyanex302, followed by two-stage selective stripping using sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ) and nitric acid (HNO 3 ) as the stripping agent, was employed to separate and recover Cu and Ni from the leachate of an IC lead frame. The results indicated that under the optimal conditions of synergistic solvent extraction with an extraction pH value of 1, an extractant concentration of 0.015 M LIX984N + 0.0375 M Cyanex302, an extraction aqueous/organic (A/O) ratio of 1:1, and an extraction time of 5 min, the extraction efficiencies for Cu and Ni were 99.8% and 1.17%, respectively. The distribution ratios were D Cu 999 and D Ni 0.012, resulting in a separation factor of 83,250. In addition, the separation factor was much higher than that of using individual extractant of LIX984N (6208.3) or Cyanex302 (22,185.2). Subsequently, under optimal first-stage stripping conditions, using 0.05 M H 2 SO 4 at a stripping organic/aqueous (O/A) ratio of 1:1, and with a stripping time of 3 min, a stripping efficiency of 99.9% for Ni was achieved. Next, under optimal second-stage stripping conditions, using 5 M HNO 3 at a stripping O/A ratio of 2:1, and with a striping time of 3 min, a stripping efficiency of 99.9% for Cu was achieved. Finally, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was added to the respective stripping solutions to precipitate Ni and Cu ions, followed by calcination treatment for the precipitates to obtain NiO and CuO, respectively. The purity of the former was 99.74% and that of the latter was 99.82%. The results demonstrate that synergistic solvent extraction using a binary extractant containing LIX984N and Cyanex302 can almost entirely extract Cu in the leachate of an IC lead frame at a lower extraction pH and a lower extractant concentration, thus reducing the co-extraction of Ni. In addition, less co-extracted Ni in the organic phase can be selectively stripped using dilute H 2 SO 4 , thus reducing the co-stripping of Cu. Hence, the effective separation and recovery of Cu and Ni in IC lead frame leachate can be achieved, which contributes to improving the sustainability of natural resources.

Keywords: IC lead frame; copper; nickel; synergistic solvent extraction; binary extractant; LIX984N; Cyanex302; selective stripping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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