The adsorption of molybdenum on oxide surfaces

Abstract

Adsorption of molybdenum was measured on 12 oxides with zero points of charge (ZPC) ranging from pH 2 to 7.6. Adsorption envelopes calculated using the Bowden adsorption model agreed well with the experimental results for goethite. Oxides with low ZPC, however, showed adsorption maxima well below the predicted value of pH 3.3. It was postulated that a positively charged polycationic form of molybdenum was adsorbed at low pH by oxides with low ZPC.