Proton Adsorption Selectivity of Zeolites in Aqueous Media: Effect of Exchangeable Cation Species of Zeolites

The saturation of negative charges of zeolites by specific cations to modify their physicochemical and catalytic properties has broadened the applications of zeolites. The adsorption behavior of H+ to Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+ and Cs+-saturated Linde-type A, Na-P1, mordenite, X type and Y type zeolites was evaluated at different pH-pM, where pH-pM is equal to log {(M+)/(H+)} and M+ represents either Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, or Cs+. In all cases, with decreasing pH-pM, the amounts of alkali metal retention decreased due to the adsorption of H+ via cation exchange reaction. The adsorption selectivity of H+ into the zeolites had a negative correlation with the Si/Al ratio of the zeolites. In each zeolite species, Cs+-saturated zeolite showed the lowest H+ selectivity, and this suggested that Cs+ had the strongest adsorption energy in the alkali metal cations. The adsorption of H+ was strongly affected by diameter and hydration energy of the alkali metal cations, and was also affected by the framework type and Si/Al ratio of the zeolites. The adsorption of H+ into zeolites decreases the amount of cation retention other than with H+ and may cause the elution of Si and Al into aqueous solutions.