Heavy metal wastewater containing cobalt (Co2+) has received more attention as an environment issue, which is released from electroplating processes, battery materials industries, nuclear power plants, etc. Especially, cobalt exposed to high-temperature and high-pressure environment during the operation of a nuclear power plant to form corrosion products and forming a chalk river unidentified deposit (CURD) along with radioactive materials generated in cooling water pipes. Cobalt present in the oxide film is mainly Co-60, which emits radiation and causes increased radiation exposure to workers, and efficient management is essential. In this study, we demonstrated the performance of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) electrodes in a capacitive deionization (CDI) system for Co2+ ions removal. The structure and chemical status of CuHCF used as an electrode material were characterized, and electrochemical properties were evaluated. This study showed that Co2+ ions could be efficiently removed in aqueous solutions using CuHCF electrodes. It has been experimentally shown that the ion removal mechanism is driven by the insertion of Co2+ ions within the CuHCF lattice channels. The deionization capacities in 20 and 50 mg-Co2+ L-1 aqueous solutions were 141.62 and 156.85 mg g-1, respectively, and the corresponding charge efficiencies (Λ) were 0.55 and 0.68, respectively. Thus, we suggest that an electrochemically driven process using CuHCF can usefully remove Co2+ ions from wastewater.

In this study, zeolitic materials were synthesized from Jeju Volcanic Rocks (JVR) using a fusion/hydrothermal method at NaOH/JVR ratios of 0.6 and 1.2. The crystallinities of the zeolitic materials at NaOH/JVR ratios of 0.6 and 1.2 were 25.5% and 59.0%, respectively. It was confirmed through the SEM image that the zeolitic materials covered the zeolite particle with a cube-shaped crystals. The Co ions adsorption by the zeolitic materials were to reach the adsorption equilibrium at 120 min. It could be better simulated in the pseudo-second order adsorption kinetic equation than in the pseudo-first order adsorption kinetic equation. The adsorption capacities (qm) of Co ions could be to estimate Langmuir isotherm better than Freundlich isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities (qm) at NaOH/JVR ratios of 0.6 and 1.2 were 55.3 mg/g and 68.7 mg/g, respectively. It was found that there was a high correlation between the crystallinity of zeolitic materials and the adsorption capacity of Co ions adsorption.