Fiber-based adsorbents having high adsorption capacities for recovering dissolved metals and methods thereof
US9433920B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 2014 |
| Grant date | Sep 6, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 22, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/2978
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A fiber-based adsorbent and a related method of manufacture are provided. The fiber-based adsorbent includes polymer fibers with grafted side chains and an increased surface area per unit weight over known fibers to increase the adsorption of dissolved metals, for example uranium, from aqueous solutions. The polymer fibers include a circular morphology in some embodiments, having a mean diameter of less than 15 microns, optionally less than about 1 micron. In other embodiments, the polymer fibers include a non-circular morphology, optionally defining multiple gear-shaped, winged-shaped or lobe-shaped projections along the length of the polymer fibers. A method for forming the fiber-based adsorbents includes irradiating high surface area polymer fibers, grafting with polymerizable reactive monomers, reacting the grafted fibers with hydroxylamine, and conditioning with an alkaline solution. High surface area fiber-based adsorbents formed according to the present method demonstrated a significantly improved uranium adsorption capacity per unit weight over existing adsorbents.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.