Highly hydrated poly(allylamine)/silica magnetic resin

The creation of multifunctional nanomaterials by combining organic and inorganic components is a growing trend in nanoscience. The unique size-dependent properties of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) make them amenable to numerous applications such as carriers of expensive biological catalysts, in magnetically assisted chemical separation of heavy metals and radionuclides from contaminated water sources. The separation of minor actinides from high-level radionuclide waste requires a sorbent stable in acidic pH, with ease of surface functionalization, and a high capacity for binding the molecules of interest. For the described experiments, the MNPs with 50 nm average size were used (size distribution from 20 to 100 nm and an iron content of 80–90 w/w%). The MNPs that have been double coated with an initial silica coating for protection against iron solubilization and oxidation in nitric acid solution (pH 1) and a second silica/polymer composite coating incorporating partially imbedded poly(allylamine) (PA). The final product is magnetic, highly swelling, containing >95% water, with >0.5 mmol amines g−1 available for functionalization. The amine groups of the magnetic resin were functionalized with the chelating molecules diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and N,N-dimethyl-3-oxa-glutaramic acid (DMOGA) for separation of minor actinides from used nuclear fuel.