Polyethylenimine and tris(2-aminoethyl)amine modified p(GA–EGMA) microbeads for sorption of uranium ions: equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies

Abstract

Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate), p(GA–EGMA), microbeads were prepared through suspension polymerization. It was decorated with polyethylene imine (PEIM) and tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) ligands to decorate with polyamine groups. These microbeads were used for sorption of uranium ions from aqueous solution. The maximum sorption of uranium ions on the PEIM and TAEA modified microbeads was observed at pH 6.0. The maximum sorption capacity of acid hydrolyzed p(GA–EGMA)–OH, p(GA–EGMA)–PEIM and p(GA–EGMA)–TAEA microbeads was found to be 7.21, 87.8 and 64.3 mg g−1. The sorption process conforms to the pseudo-second order kinetic model and the Langmuir and Temkin isotherm models well.