Effects of Protective Shell Enclosures on Uranium Adsorbing Polymers

• Published in: Industrial & engineering chemistry research Vol. 57; no. 45; pp. 15534 - 15541
• Main Authors: Haji, Maha N, Gonzalez, Jorge, Drysdale, Jessica A, Buesseler, Ken O, Slocum, Alexander H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 14.11.2018; American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Subjects: amidoxime; experimental investigation; NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; seawater uranium; shell enclosure; symbiotic system
• ISSN: 0888-5885; 1520-5045
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.8b03583

This study aims to evaluate the impact of shell enclosures on the uranium uptake of amidoxime-based polymeric adsorbents contained within. Researchers have observed that the tensile strength of the adsorbent’s polyethylene backbone is degraded after γ-irradiation to induce grafting of the amidoxime ligand. A two-part system was developed to decouple the mechanical and chemical requirements of the adsorbent by encapsulating them in a hard, permeable shell. The water flow in six shell designs and an unenclosed adsorbent for control in a recirculating flume was analyzed via a novel method developed using the measurement of radium extracted onto MnO2 impregnated acrylic fibers. Although the water flow was found to vary with enclosure design, orientation to the flow, and placement within the flume, little to no difference was observed in the uranium adsorption rate between all enclosures. The results of this study will be used to design a large-scale ocean deployment of a uranium harvesting system.