Phosphate and amphiphilic-functionalized luffa with anti-biofouling property for efficient uranium extraction from seawater

Abstract

The attachment of marine organisms is the main problem of extracting uranium from seawater. In this article, phosphate groups were grafted to the surface of luffa (LUP), and an antifouling material for uranium extraction from seawater (LUPPC) was prepared by ionic initiated free radical polymerization with amphiphilic polymers. The LUPPC expressed great uranium adsorption and antifouling property. After soaking in small crescent diamond algae for 10 days, the LUPPC surface had almost no seaweed attachment compared with luffa and LUP. According to the DFT theory, the P-U bond length is 2.44 Å and the adsorption energy with uranium is −219.63 kcal mol−1. The short bond length and high binding energy indicate the excellent adsorption properties of the LUPPC.