Polyamidoxime nanoparticles/polyvinyl alcohol composite chelating nanofibers prepared by centrifugal spinning for uranium extraction

In this work, polyacrylonitrile nanoparticles (PAN NPs)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) precursor nanofibers were prepared by the centrifugal spinning of the dope composed of PAN emulsion and PVA solution. Subsequently, the precursor nanofibers were modified by crosslinking and oximation to obtain PAO NPs/PVA nanofibers. The results of the scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction indicates that a large number of PAO NPs are exposed on the surface of the PVA nanofibers when the content of PAN NPs exceeds 30 wt%. The PAO NPs/PVA nanofibers possess excellent adsorption kinetics and can adsorb 176.5 mg/g of uranium from uranium ion solution (12 mg/L) within 30 min, which is faster than most other chelating nanofibers. It also has a good selectivity to uranyl ions and good regeneration performance. Its dynamic adsorption process is consistent with the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetics.

Automated summary

The study showed that PAN NPs can expose a large number of PAO NPs on the surface of PVA nanofibers at different PAN NPs content. The PAO NPs/PVA nanofibers exhibit excellent adsorption performance with fast adsorption rate, good selectivity to uranyl ions, and good regeneration ability. The dynamic adsorption process of the nanofibers follows the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetics.