Abstract
In nuclear industry the role of conventional strong cation exchange resins is limited as they function less in high acid media. The phosphorous group that has got more affinity towards actinide elements is chosen as a chelating group and the phosphinic acid ion exchange resin was synthesized. The extraction ability of the phosphinic acid resin for plutonium (Pu) from HNO 3 medium as well as from H 2SO 4 medium was studied. Though the resin shows better extraction for Pu than the strong cation exchanger resins at higher acidities, its kinetics is slow. In order to enhance the kinetics as well as to improve upon selectivity, a sulphonic group is introduced into the phosphinic acid resin. To verify the effect of bifunctionality extraction studies have been carried out with Pu from different acid media of varying concentrations. Sulphonated phosphinic acid resin shows a 2-fold increase in distribution coefficient ( k d ) as well as it reached equilibrium very fast compared to the phosphinic acid resin. It is postulated that the sulphonic acid ligand provides an access mechanism for the metal ions into the polymer matrix while it is the phosphinic acid group that is responsible for selective coordination of metal ions. Thus bifunctionality is coupling of an access mechanism to a recognition mechanism. The experiments carried out demonstrated the applicability of sulphonated phosphinic acid resin in the nuclear industry.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.