A handy hydrogel bead adsorbent of
graphene oxide/poly(vinyl
alcohol)/sodium
alginate/carboxymethyl cellulose encapsulating potassium copper hexacyanoferrate
(KCuFC) was fabricated via injection devices (GPSC-KCuFC), which can
be employed for recovering rubidium (Rb) resources from saline lake
brines. The successful loading of KCuFC on GPSC was substantiated
by the microstructure observed using scanning electron microscopy,
the chemical composition derived with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy
and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the lattice structure analyzed
by X-ray diffraction. Depending on diverse pH values, adsorption times,
temperatures, initial concentrations, and types of competing ions,
batch tests were carried out. The GPSC-KCuFC has been shown to acquire
a maximum adsorption capacity of 242.91 mg/g for Rb+ at
45 °C with pH = 8, and the Langmuir isotherm model can explain
the adsorption behavior. Likewise, the process of Rb+ adsorption
is in accordance with the pseudo-second-order model, while manifesting
the three-stage intraparticle diffusion model. The GPSC-KCuFC exhibits
remarkable reusability as evidenced by five adsorption–desorption
cycles. Besides, the GPSC-KCuFC shows promising selectivity for Rb+ adsorption from saline lake brines. Subsequently, anion exchange
membrane electrolysis can derive a higher purity solution of Rb+.