Investigation on the radiolytic stability of polybenzimidazole-based polymeric resins for the recovery of lanthanides, actinides, palladium from aqueous medium

AbstractRadiolytic stability of polymeric resins is an important aspects in nuclear materials processing. The different dosage of gamma radiation was subjected to meta-polybenzimidazole (m-PBI), para-polybenzimidazole (p-PBI) and pyridine-m-PBI based polymeric resins, which was taken for the present radiolytic stability investigation. Irradiated polymers were characterized by FT-IR, SEM and TGA analysis. Extraction of U(IV) and Pd(II) as a function of nitric acid concentration using 50, 100 and 150  kGy gamma irradiated polymeric resins was carried out and static capacity was also investigated for the gamma irradiated polymeric resins and compared with their unirradiated ones. In addition, the extraction behaviour of radionuclides, namely, plutonium, americium and europium as a function of HN O3 concentration utilizing both unirradiated and 150  kGy gamma irradiated polymeric resins was studied for the first time. Results indicated that FT-IR spectra of both unirradiated and 150 kGy irradiated resins are similar. TGA analysis revealed 50% and 20% weight loss for pyridine-m-PBI,m-PBI, respectively. The distribution ratio values decreases with increase in gamma irradiation. The uranium and palladium static capacities were found to be 30 and 182  mg/g resin, respectively. The overall results indicated thatp-PBI resin has higher extraction efficiency and exhibits better radiation resistant behaviour as compared to pyridine-m-PBI andm-PBI.
Source: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Category: Nuclear Medicine Source Type: research