The preparation of dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide modified titanium dioxide for the removal of uranium

Abstract

Radioactive contamination, especially the pollution of uranium, is threatening the ecological environment.How to e cient and quickly remove the uranium from the environment is a problem to be solved. In this study, the dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide embellished titanium dioxide composite (DTAB/TiO 2 ) was synthesized as an adsorbent to adsorb uranium from water. The DTAB/TiO 2 composite was composed of nanoparticles and presented a spherical morphology of rough surface. The removal of U(VI) on DTAB/TiO 2 was a monolayer adsorption process and the removal process was dependent on solution pH. The capture of U(VI) enhanced with the increase of temperature, indicating an endothermic process.According to the Langmuir model, the removal capacity of DTAB/TiO 2 for U(VI) reached 108.4 mg/g. The surface oxygen-containing functional groups, especially hydroxyl groups, played a crucial role in the capture of U(VI). This work can provide useful information for the cleanup of uranium and expand the application of surfactants.