The Effect of Alkaline and Acidic Treatment on the Properties of Amidoxime Resin Synthesized by Radiation-induced Graft Polymerization

Abstract

A chelating resin containing amidoxime groups for the recovery of uranium from seawater was synthesized by radiation-induced graft polymerization. Nonporous high-density polyethylene film, 50 μm thick, was used as a base polymer for grafting. The amidoxime resin in a membrane form, whose degree of grafting and thickness were 48.2% and 72 μm, was synthesized. Its adsorption capacity of copper and that of hydrochloric acid were 4.4 mol/kg and 2.1 mol/kg of base polymer, respectively. Either the pretreatment or recycle procedure of adsorption and desorption was performed on the amidoxime membrane. The effect of the treatment with hydrochloric acid, potassium hydroxide and potassium chloride solutions on the adsorbent dimensions, water content and adsorptive properties for copper was investigated. The treatment with potassium hydroxide solution was most effective for the increase in the swelling and in the water content of the membrane. The amidoxime membrane without pretreatment adsorbed little amount of copper. Once the amidoxime membrane was treated with potassium hydroxide solution, it adsorbed a sufficient amount of copper, and the adsorptive properties of the membrane was not changed by successive recycle procedures.