Synthesis of Extraction Resin Containing N,N,N′,N′-Tetraisobutyl Diglycolamide and its Application for Separation of Sr(II) from Rb(I)

Abstract

A novel Levextrel resin containing N,N,N′,N′-tetraisobutyl diglycolamide (TiBDGA) was synthesized by suspension polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene and its performance for separation of Sr(II) from Rb(I) was investigated. The effects of crosslink degree, stirring speed, and the ratio of porogenic-agents on the resin synthesized were examined. The optimum TiBDGA resin with 40 wt.% divinylbenzene as cross linking agent and 20 wt.% of n-octanol as porogenic-agents provided excellent adsorption capacity of 22.5 mg/g. The distribution coefficient (K _d) of Sr(II) in HNO₃ media onto the resin depended heavily on the acidity in the aqueous solution. The maximum K _d for Sr(II) (7300 mL/g) was observed when the HNO₃ concentration in aqueous phase reached 2 mol/L. The difference in the Sr(II) and Rb(I) distribution coefficients of several orders of magnitude implied that ⁸⁹Sr may be separated from ⁸⁶Rb with a radionuclide purity greater than 99%. And the maximum static adsorption capacity of Sr(II) on the resin was 22.5 mg/g.