Adsorption of uranium by amidoximated polypropylene-acrylonitrile-acrylic acid fibrous adsorbent

The amidoximized polypropylene-acrylonitrile-acrylic acid (AOPP-AN-AAc) fibrous adsorbent was synthesized by amidoximation with hydroxylamine after co-grafting of acrylonitrile and acrylic acid to pre-irradiated polypropylene (PP-AN-AAc fibers) and was used for uranium recovery from the simulated solution. The properties of PP fibers, irradiated PP fibers, PP-AN-AAc grafted copolymer fiber and AO-PP-AN-AAc fibrous adsorbents were studied by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermo gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of carboxyl and amidoxime functional groups were confirmed by FT-IR, and the result of SEM analysis showed that the surface of the fiber was not damaged after irradiation or chemical modification of the fiber. The maximum adsorption amount of U(VI) on the AO-PP-AN-AAc fibrous adsorbent was determined as 250 mg g^-1. The results of uranium adsorption experiments on the fibrous adsorbents were suitable for Langmuir adsorption isotherms. (author)