Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Experimental study on uranium extraction from seawater: 1- Surface improvement of polypropylene and polyethylene micro hollow fibers via the functional groups grafting by the electron beam irradiation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

M. Firoozzare 1
F. Ahmadi 2

1 Materials and Nuclear Fuel Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.Box: 11365-8486, Tehran - Iran

2 Soureh Co, AEOI, P.O.Box: 81465-1957, Isfahan -Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2020.1126
Abstract
For the prevention of energy crisis after finishing the uranium earth sources, the study on the alternative sources is necessary and unavoidable. Seawater contains uranium about 1000 times more than that of the earth which is one of the most important sources. In the present work, at first, the free radicals were created on the polyethylene and polypropylene micro hollow fibers at very low temperatures via pre-irradiation electron beams by Rodotron accelerator and then, the acrylonitrile and methacrylic acid immediately were grafted on these fibers. To investigate the solvent and concentration effects, the grafting solutions were prepared with the different concentrations by DMSO and DMF solvents, and then, the radiated micro hollow fibers were immersed into them. The best grafting percentage was 90% corresponding to the polypropylene micro hollow fibers in the grafting solution with 60 to 40 for the monomer to solvent volume ratio. The nitrile groups were converted to the amidoxime groups by the hydroxylamine 10% within 72 hours at 80oC. By using the gravimetric method, the amidoximation degree was 80%. The grafting and amidoximation steps, and the surface morphology of fibers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and SEM, respectively.

Highlights

1.             http://www.khabaronline.ir/detail/90781/weblog/khorasani & http://www.cfr.org/energy/global-uranium-supply-demand/p14705.

 

2.             M. Kanno, Present Status of Study on Extraction of Uranium from Sea Water. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 21, 1-9 (1984).

 

3.             I. Tabushi, T. Kobuke, T. Nishiya, Extraction of uranium from seawater by polymer-bound Macrocyclic hexaketone. Nature, 280, 665-666 (1979).

 

4.             E.G. Witte, et al, Untersuchung von Adsorbern zur Anreicherung von Uran aus Meerwasser (Investigation of adsorbers for the enrichment of uranium from seawater). Berichte der Bunsengesellschaft für physikalische Chemie, 83, 1121-1123 (1979).

 

5.             K. Schwochau, et al, On the Extraction of Uranium from Sea Water by a Complexing Resin, Z. Naturforsch., 37b, 214-216 (1982).

 

6.             H.J. Schenk, et al, Development of sorbers for the recovery of uranium from seawater. 1. Assessment of key parameters and screening studies of sorber materials. Sep. Sci. Technol., 17, 1293-1308 (1982).

 

7.             L. Rao, Recent International R&D Activities in the Extraction of Uranium from Seawater, LBNL-4034E; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, March (2011).

 

8.             T. Shimizu, M. Tamada, Practical scale system for uranium recovery from seawater using braid type adsorbent. Proceedings of Civil Engineering in the Ocean, 20, 617-622 (2004).

 

9.             M. Tamada, Current Status of Technology for Collection of Uranium from Seawater, Presented at Erice Seminar, Erice, Italy, August (2009).

 

10.          Report of 1st Information Exchange Meeting Fuel Cycle Technology Working Group U.S.–Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan,  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, June 24–25 (2010).

 

11.          244Th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA August 19-23, (2012), www.acs.org/philly2012.

 

12.          C.-K. Na, H.-J. Park, B.-G. Kim, Optimal Amidoximation Conditions of Acrylonitrile Grafted onto Polypropylene by Photoirradiation-Induced Graft Polymerization, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 125, 776-785 (2012).

Keywords

Uranium adsorbent
Micro hollow fibers
Functional groups grafting
Acrylonitrile
Amidoxime
Seawater
1.             http://www.khabaronline.ir/detail/90781/weblog/khorasani & http://www.cfr.org/energy/global-uranium-supply-demand/p14705.
 
2.             M. Kanno, Present Status of Study on Extraction of Uranium from Sea Water. Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 21, 1-9 (1984).
 
3.             I. Tabushi, T. Kobuke, T. Nishiya, Extraction of uranium from seawater by polymer-bound Macrocyclic hexaketone. Nature, 280, 665-666 (1979).
 
4.             E.G. Witte, et al, Untersuchung von Adsorbern zur Anreicherung von Uran aus Meerwasser (Investigation of adsorbers for the enrichment of uranium from seawater). Berichte der Bunsengesellschaft für physikalische Chemie, 83, 1121-1123 (1979).
 
5.             K. Schwochau, et al, On the Extraction of Uranium from Sea Water by a Complexing Resin, Z. Naturforsch., 37b, 214-216 (1982).
 
6.             H.J. Schenk, et al, Development of sorbers for the recovery of uranium from seawater. 1. Assessment of key parameters and screening studies of sorber materials. Sep. Sci. Technol., 17, 1293-1308 (1982).
 
7.             L. Rao, Recent International R&D Activities in the Extraction of Uranium from Seawater, LBNL-4034E; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, March (2011).
 
8.             T. Shimizu, M. Tamada, Practical scale system for uranium recovery from seawater using braid type adsorbent. Proceedings of Civil Engineering in the Ocean, 20, 617-622 (2004).
 
9.             M. Tamada, Current Status of Technology for Collection of Uranium from Seawater, Presented at Erice Seminar, Erice, Italy, August (2009).
 
10.          Report of 1st Information Exchange Meeting Fuel Cycle Technology Working Group U.S.–Japan Joint Nuclear Energy Action Plan,  Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, June 24–25 (2010).
 
11.          244Th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA August 19-23, (2012), www.acs.org/philly2012.
 
12.          C.-K. Na, H.-J. Park, B.-G. Kim, Optimal Amidoximation Conditions of Acrylonitrile Grafted onto Polypropylene by Photoirradiation-Induced Graft Polymerization, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 125, 776-785 (2012).

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