Sponsor:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Coworker:
Dr. Frank Simon

Duration:
11/2012 - 10/2014

Abstract:

Over the last twenty years sorption technologies allowing localization of radioisotopes and prevention of their migration with surface and ground waters have been extensively developed, tested and introduced to the practice of radioactive waste management. Despite significant progress in the field, there is still an open window for significant improvement of selectivity and sorption capacity of the known types of materials and high demand in principally new materials, first of all, those of high efficacy in decontamination of solid materials, including soils and grounds, and applicable for elimination of harmful consequences of the dirty bomb attacks, and accidents at nuclear facilities resulted in radioactive pollution of the large territories and having high negative psychological impact on society and high economic damage.

Within this project we suggest that a prospective solution for decontamination of solid materials and preventing of spreading radioactive materials from contaminated surface could consist in development of colloid-stable nanosized selective sorbents, which can penetrate (in liquid phase) through contaminated solid materials and, further, easily separated by filtration and flocculation with polymeric flocculants. The same type of the sorption system based on selective nanosorbents immobilized into latexes with good film-forming properties can be used for suppression of radioactive dust and formation of stable impermeable films preventing further spreading of radioactive materials on the surface and significantly reducing amount of soil and grounds to be removed and disposed after the large accidents.

Within the scopes of the project, it is suggested to perform synthesis and study of physical-chemical and sorption properties of new types of selective sorbents or solid extractants based on nanosized selective sorbents immobilized in polymeric latexes. Polymeric nanoparticles (size range 50-500 nm) carrying carboxyl and epoxy groups on the surface will be synthesized through free-radical polymerization. The monomer, which polymerizes to a polymer with low Tg value, will be chosen as a material for particles, in order to have particle dispersion with a good film formation properties. To improve the film stability, particles will be cross-linked under addition of the functional polymer (cross-linker), resulting in the particle network on the surface.

The following target oriented tasks will be solved during the project implementation:

i) optimization of the synthesis conditions to obtain nanosized sorbents selective to the radionuclides immobilized/stabilized in polymeric matrix;
ii) investigation of sorption and film-forming properties of new materials;
iii) evaluation of new materials as dust suppressor for preventing radionuclides spreading and colloid sorbents for solid materials decontamination.