Functionalization of Polymer Surfaces by Radiation-Induced Grafting for Separation of Heavy Metal Ions

The reported investigations were focused on the elucidation of the most important factors influencing radiation-induced grafting; particularly (1) the effect of radical population generated in polymeric matrix on degree of grafting, (2) parameters determined grafting and its procedure, (3) correlation between layer structure formed via copolymerization and content of monomers in the initial solution. Sorption capacity of the adsorbants was evaluated using 152Eu3+ as a marker monitoring depletion of the radioisotope from the initial solution by gamma radiometer. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and gas chromatography (GC) studies confirmed that yield of radiation-induced radicals increases in the following order polystyrene (PS) < polypropylene (PP) < polyethylene (PE). The same relationship was found for efficiency of radiation grafting. It was concluded that under comparable conditions the content of radicals in polymeric matrices determines grafting degree. It was found that application of the simultaneous method of grafting introduces to the grafted layers crosslinking or/and branching as well as degradation of functional groups. All these phenomena reduce access of Eu3+ to the studied sorbent therefore sorption capacity of the polyamide functionalized via pre-irradiation (indirect) method is higher than that determined for the sorbent prepared by simultaneous method of grafting. When two monomers, acrylic acid (AAc) and acrylamide (AAm) , contributed in the formation of grafted layer, their input into copolymerization was not proportional to the concentrations in the feed solution. It was confirmed that grafting of the monomers shows synergetic effect as the yield of copolymerization exceeds degree of grafting achieved for individual components. (author)