Adsorption of the Uranyl Ions on an Amidoxime-Based Polyethylene Nonwoven Fabric Prepared by Preirradiation-Induced Emulsion Graft Polymerization

A polyethylene (PE) nonwoven fabric adsorbent with amidoxime (AO) groups denoted as PE-g-PAO is prepared by preirradiation-induced emulsion graft polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) and subsequent amidoximation of the nitrile groups of the poly(acetonitrile) (PAN) grafting chains with hydroxylamine (NH2OH). The chemical structure, thermal stability, and mechanical intensity are evaluated by means of Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile tests, respectively. The adsorption behavior of the uranyl ions in low initial concentrations over a range of 3-50 mu g/L on the PE-g-PAO nonwoven fabric is studied by the batch technique at a pH value of 7.5 at different temperatures. It can be found that the temperature induces a positive effect on the adsorption process and the adsorption capacity increases with an increase of the uranyl ion initial concentration. The adsorption data obtained Under the corresponding conditions are correlated with the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models, respectively.