황산으로 탈황 폐촉매를 침출한 결과 황산농도 1 M, 반응시간 1 hr인 실험조건에서 Ni 및 V은 95% 이상, 그리고 Mo은 30%가 침출되었다. 탈황 폐촉매의 Mo matrix 특성으로 인하여 다른 금속에 비하여 Mo의 침출율이 낮았으며, 본 침출반응은 확산반응에 의하여 제어되는 것으로 판단된다. Mo을 완전히 침출하기 위하여 유황성분이 제거된 폐촉매로 침출실험을 실시하였다. 1M 황산으로 처리후 탄산나트륨으로 세척시 Ni, Mo 그리고 V의 침출율은 99% 이었다. Ni 2 g/L; V 9 g/L, Mo 0.6 g/L 조성의 침출액을 LIX 841로 용매추출한 조건에서 A:O 비 5:2, 2단계로 처리시 Mo은 98% 이상 추출되었으며 A:O 비 5:3, 2단계로 처리시 V은 82%가 추출되었다.
Sulphuric acid leaching was conducted to extract the metal values from spent refinery catalyst. More than 95% of Ni and V and 30% of Mo could be leached out in 1 M sulphuric acid and 1 hr of leaching time. The decrease in Mo leaching was due to typical characteristic of Mo matrix. The activation energies of the leaching reactions showed the dissolution process follows a diffusion control mechanism. In order to leach out all Mo, further the leaching experiments were conducted with sulfur free spent refinery catalyst. For sulfur free spent refinery catalyst, a two step process of leaching with 1 M sulphuric acid followed by sodium carbonate washing showed better leaching than a two step leaching process with sodium carbonate followed by sulphuric acid washing, with almost 99% leaching of Ni, Mo and V. Solvent extraction using LIX 841 were conducted for a leach liquor containing Ni, 2 g/L; V, 9 g/L, Mo, 0.6 g/L. More than 98% of Mo was extracted from the leach liquor at A:O ratio of 5:2 in a 2 stage process. Similarly V was extracted at A:O ratio of 5:3 in a 2 stage process with 82% of total V extraction.
