In this study, zeolite synthesis raw material was recovered as slag from waste aluminum dust using a dry melting process, and synthetic zeolite was manufactured using the recovered slag. The prepared zeolite was modified with various cations (Mg2+, Ca...
In this study, zeolite synthesis raw material was recovered as slag from waste aluminum dust using a dry melting process, and synthetic zeolite was manufactured using the recovered slag. The prepared zeolite was modified with various cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, K+) and then a comparative experiment on heavy metal removal rate was conducted. In addition, a comparison experiment of hard/soft water conversion ratio was conducted to evaluate the water hardness control performance of Na-Zeolite and K-Zeolite, which can be used to control water hardness. A comparative experiment was conducted according to the amount of carbon added for the dry melting process, and as a result of XRD analysis, it was confirmed that when 4g of carbon was added, the highest Al2O3 and SiO2 content and a single phase of mullite(Al6Si2O13) were formed. The zeolite synthesis process was conducted through comparative experiments depending on the concentration of NaOH, and as a result of XRD analysis, a 50wt.% NaOH solution in which Na-Zeolite was synthesized in the form of a single phase was derived as the optimal process condition. A comparative experiment was conducted on the heavy metal removal rates of the manufactured Na-Zeolite and Mg-Zeolite, Ca-Zeolite, and K-Zeolite converted through cation modification. Standard reagents for four heavy metals, Pb, Hg, Cr6+, and Cd, were prepared and heavy metal removal rate comparison experiments were conducted. The standard reagent was diluted with distilled water, and 5 g of zeolite was added to 50 ml of a 100 ppm concentration heavy metal solution and stirred at room temperature at a speed of 300 rpm for 30 minutes. After stirring, the concentration of heavy metals remaining in the solution was measured using ICP-OES analysis and the removal rate was calculated. In addition, a hard/soft water conversion rate evaluation experiment was conducted to confirm the water hardness control characteristics of Na-Zeolite and K-Zeolite prepared through Na-Zeolite cation modification. In order to confirm the hardness control characteristics of the prepared synthetic zeolite, a solution of 300ppm as CaCO3 or more was arbitrarily prepared and a hard/soft water conversion ratio comparison experiment was conducted. 5 g of K-Zeolite was added to 50 ml of prepared hard water and stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature at a speed of 300 rpm. After stirring was completed, the concentrations of Ca and Mg remaining in the solution were measured using ICP-OES analysis and the average value was calculated. As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that Mg-Zeolite had the best heavy metal removal ability, and through the comparison test results of hard/soft water conversion rate, it was confirmed that K-Zeolite was more suitable for hard/soft water conversion than Na-Zeolite.