Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

, Volume 286, Issue 1, pp 129–133 | Cite as

Removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solutions by nanoporous carbon and its chelating polymer composite

Article
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Abstract

High surface area, ordered nanoporous carbon (CMK-3) and its chelating polymer composites were successfully prepared and utilized for the removal of U(VI) from aqueous solutions. Carboxymethylated polyethyleneimine (CMPEI) with a strong chelating property was introduced to the pore surface and inner pores of CMK-3 substrate. CMPEI-modified CMK-3 composite (CMPEI/CMK-3) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen sorption. U(VI) sorption capacity was significantly improved by the surface modification of CMK-3 by CMPEI. The CMPEI/CMK-3 showed enormously increased sorption capacities, compared with those of previous sorbents (e.g., surface-functionalized silicas). In particular, the CMPEI/CMK-3 showed a significantly high uranium retention property while allowing only about 1% U(VI) to leach out over a 4 month time period, when treated with polyacrylic acid.

Keywords

U(VI) Nanoporous carbon (CMK-3) Chelating polymer Hybrid sorbent 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the start-up funds for new faculty of Korea University of Technology and Education, and the Basic Science Research program (NRF, 2009-0076903). J.M. Kim also thanks to the WCU (World Class University, MEST, R31-2008-000-10029-0) program.

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Copyright information

© Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, Hungary 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Department of ChemistryBK21 School of Chemical Materials Science, Department of Energy Science and SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology, Sungkyunkwan UniversitySuwonKorea
  2. 2.Nuclear Chemistry Research DivisionKorea Atomic Energy Research InstituteDaejeonKorea
  3. 3.Department of Applied Chemical EngineeringKorea University of Technology and EducationCheonanKorea

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