Advanced nanoporous sorbents are being developed for uranium extraction from seawater and other actinide elements from nuclear wastes. We have investigated mesoporous silica nanoparticles, mesoporous carbon nanoparticles, and other porous materials for selective actinide extraction. These materials provide highly tunable platforms for incorporating selective chelators, either by grafting or by direct incorporation into the structures. The porous structures of these materials are able to encapsulate chelators at high densities, allowing high actinide sorption capacities. Material properties such as sorption capacity, selectivity, uptake and elution kinetics, durability, and reusability are being optimized by controlling the morphology, pore size, and surface functionalization of nanomaterials.

Nanoporous sorbents for selective extraction of actinides

244th National Meeting (2012)

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