Diglycolamic acid coated TiO₂ microspheres for efficient uptake of uranium (VI) from aqueous solutions

In this study, we report the facile synthesis of diglycolamic acid (DGA)-coated titanium dioxide (TiO₂) microspherical nano-particles (TMP-DGA) for effective extraction of uranium (U(VI)) from aqueous solutions. The physical properties of the as-prepared adsorbents were carefully investigated using BET and XRD, and the presence of DGA groups was verified using FTIR, TG-DTA, and SEM-EDAX. Batch experiments were performed to assess the extraction efficiency of U(VI). The Langmuir adsorption isotherm capacity of TMP-DGA towards U(VI) was determined to be 175.87 mg g^-1 at pH 6, which is substantially greater than the maximum adsorption capacity of commercial TiO₂. The addition of DGA groups to TiO₂ enhanced the number of active sites and enabled excellent coordination with the U(VI) species. In the presence of several contemporaneous metal ions, it has also displayed strong selectivity towards U(VI). The plausible mechanism include electrostatic attraction between U(VI) species and the DGA groups. The results of these studies show that the reported material has a remarkable ability to be utilized as an adsorbent for the removal of U(VI) from aqueous medium. (author)