Rapid Oxidative Dissolution of Metallic Tin in Alkaline Solution Containing Iodate Ions

Efficient and environmentally friendly tin leaching methods are of significant interest for the separation and recovery of tin from various materials such as tin-plated scraps and waste printed circuit boards. In this study, we investigated the oxidative dissolution of metallic tin in an alkaline solution. A pure tin specimen was leached at 30 degrees C using different oxidizing agents in a 1 M sodium hydroxide solution. The results demonstrated that iodate ion (IO3-) is one of the most effective oxidizing agents for dissolving tin in alkaline media. A fundamental mechanism for tin dissolution into the leaching solution containing IO3- is proposed based on electrochemical measurements. In addition to the rapid dissolution of tin without much heating, the benefits of using IO3- as an oxidizing agent include its electrochemical regenerability. Thus, alkaline leaching using IO3- as an oxidizing agent is a potentially efficient technique for separating and recovering tin. [GRAPHICS] .