Adsorption on inorganic materials

An adsorbent based on “filling” the macropores of activated carbon with tin oxide was prepared and characterized. This material, as well as hydrous tin oxide, has an unsually high selectivity for lithium permitting its separation from the other alkali metals. This selectivity is not shown by a number of other hydrous oxides, such as those of Al(III), Fe(III), Zr(IV), and Nb(V).