Radiation synthesis and uranyl‐ion adsorption of poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate/maleic acid) hydrogels

A new kind of copolymeric hydrogel adsorbent containing hydrophilic groups that both provides swelling in water and chelates with uranyl ions was synthesized, and its adsorptive ability for recovering uranium from aqueous media was investigated. The uranyl adsorption capacities of poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate/maleic acid) hydrogels were determined with a polarographic technique to be 3.2–4.8 (mg UO/g dry gel) from a 15‐ppm uranyl nitrate solution at pH, 6 depending on the molar content of maleic acid in the hydrogel. Adsorption studies showed that other stimuli, the temperature, and the ionic strength of the solution also have important roles in the uranyl‐ion adsorption capacity of these hydrogels. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 277–283, 2001