The sorption of uranium(VI) ions onto PAN loaded PUF has been investigated. Quantitative sorption of uranium(VI) onto PAN loaded PUF was achieved after 30 minutes equilibration time from pH 7 buffer solution. The sorption data followed Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms. Langmuir parameters Q = 45.3 ± 0.2 µmol g −1 and b = (76.2 ± 0.2) × 10 3 dm 3 mol −1 , Freundlich constants 1/n = 0.21 ± 0.01 and K F = 229 ± 21 µmol g −1 and D-R parameters β= − 0.0015 ± 0.00005 kJ 2 mol −2 , X m = 72.23 ± 3.11 µmol g −1 and E = 18.3 ± 0.3 kJ mol −1 have been evaluated. The variation of sorption data with temperature gives ∆H = 176 ± 5 kJ mol −1 , ∆S = 626 ± 17 J mol −1 K −1 and ∆G = −10.6 ± 0.7 kJ mol −1 at 298 K. The positive value of enthalpy (∆H) and negative value of free energy (∆G) show endothermic and spontaneous nature of sorption respectively. A number of solvents were tested to elute the uranium-PAN complex from the PAN loaded PUF, only amine solvents and cyclohexanone have the capability to desorb the complex. The sorption mechanism has been discussed.