New Multidentate Ion‐Selective Grafted Polymer for Preconcentration of Lanthanides and Actinides

Abstract

A new chelating ion‐exchange multidentate grafted polymer has been developed by anchoring 6,6,6‐trifluoro‐2,5‐dioxo‐4‐(thiophene‐2‐carbonyl) hexyl phosphinic acid (TDHCHPA), a multidonor ligand moiety to polystyrene divinylbenzene copolymer beads (Amberlite XAD‐16) and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques. An extraction chromatographic method is preferred for the separations of lanthanides and actinides from samples of both high acidity and near neutrality. It exhibits superior sorption capacities, with high distribution ratio values of >10³ even in 3M acidities. Dual mechanism bifunctionality of the polymer enables fast exchange kinetics. Its practical utility has been tested using simulated nuclear spent fuel mixtures, monazite sand, and seawater samples (4.1% rsd, triplicate measurements).

Keywords:

• Grafted polymer
• AXAD‐16
• extraction
• preconcentration
• lanthanides
• actinides