Plasma Functionalization of electroactive polymers
EMSL Project ID
1803
Abstract
The proposed research will provide the basis for using electroactive ion exchange materials to remove anionic contaminants from HLW wastes and process streams. An ion exchange process using electroactive materials sorbs contaminants selectively and then expels (elutes) them electrochemically by changing the charge balance through redox reactions in the sorbent as opposed to requiring the addition of a chemical eluant. Such processes can theoretically remove anions (e.g., pertechnetate, chromate) and concentrate them in a separate product stream while adding no process chemicals. A practical implementation in HLW process facilities would be a breakthrough in the ability of DOE to economically minimize waste and prevent pollution throughout the complex. To enable this, our work focuses on manipulating specific properties of redox polymers to control the hydrophobicity and ion-pairing properties pertinent to the reversibility, selectivity, stability, intercalation/de-intercalation rates, and capacity of the polymers. This involves determining the density of charged sites, mobility of charged sites, degree of cross-linking, and polymer chain length. The work will be performed by: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (synthesis and characterization of polymers); Brookhaven National Laboratory (direct characterization of ion-pair interactions); University of Minnesota (synthesis and characterization of high capacity polymers). Plasma functionalization of the electroactive polymers mentioned above will be explored. In particular cross-linking and introduction of functional groups (e.g., methyl) for stabilizing the polymers in highly alkaline solutions.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2000-01-25
End Date
2001-05-01
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members