Detection of thiourea from electrorefining baths using silver nanoparticles-based sensors

A novel and easy-to-use colorimetric thiourea (TU) sensor based on immobilized polyvinylpyrrolidone-stabilized silver nanoparticles (PVP-AgNPs) is reported. The new sensor is aimed for its direct application in copper electrorefinery baths. Quantitative analysis was carried out by adding different t...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pedre, Ignacio, Battaglini, Fernando, Delgado, Gladis Judith Labrada, Sánchez Loredo, María Guadalupe, González, Graciela Alicia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2015
País:Argentina
Institución:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Repositorio:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/37470
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/11336/37470
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Copper Electrorefining
Silver Nanoparticles
Spectrophotometry
Surface Plasmon Resonance Band
Thiourea
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.4
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
Descripción
Sumario:A novel and easy-to-use colorimetric thiourea (TU) sensor based on immobilized polyvinylpyrrolidone-stabilized silver nanoparticles (PVP-AgNPs) is reported. The new sensor is aimed for its direct application in copper electrorefinery baths. Quantitative analysis was carried out by adding different thiourea amounts into a synthetic bath and monitoring the absorption changes of the surface plasmon resonance band (SPRB) by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. A linear correlation between the absorbance change and thiourea concentration was obtained, ranging from 0.125 mg/L to 1 mg/L. Our technique has the advantage of working in acidic and high ionic concentrated solutions as those used in electrorefinery baths. The influence of the nanoparticles synthesis conditions on the thiourea sensing was analyzed; particularly, the effect of using different silver concentrations and the same amount of borohydride ions as reducing agent ([Ag+]/[BH4 -] ratios of 2:1, 8:1, 10:1 and 20:1 during the synthesis). The proposed system provides a simple, economical, easy-to-handle and rapid measurement tool for monitoring hydrometallurgical processes for optimizing the reconditioning of thiourea solutions, reducing its environmental impact.