Ultrahigh uranium extraction performance of COFs/SPES mixed matrix membranes at acidic medium.

Extracting uranium from strongly acidic uranium-containing wastewater by a gentle and efficient method is a globally challenge problem. In this paper, sulfonated-polyethersulfone (SPES) membranes and [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were synthesized and for the first time investigated for the extraction of uranium from acidic uranium aqueous solutions of pH ​= ​1, filling the void of SPES-based membranes in the application in uranium absorption. The static adsorption thermodynamics of SPES membranes and [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES MMMs towards uranium were investigated, and the adsorption mechanism was studied through the measurement of SEM, FT-IR, XPS and EDX. The results displayed that, SPES membranes demonstrated outstanding adsorption capacity of 42.1 ​mg g−1and [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES MMMs showed the record-breaking adsorption capacity of 99.4 ​mg ​g−1 at pH ​= ​1, resulting from the synergistic adsorption effect of [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 - and SPES. Moreover, the kinetics, dynamic adsorption/desorption and membrane reusability of [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES MMMs were investigated. It was found that, the [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES MMMs exhibited high removal rate of 99%, and excellent reusability even after five recycles, demonstrating great potential in the recovery of uranium from uranium mine water. SPES membranes and [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were synthesized and for the first time applied for the extraction of uranium from acidic uranium aqueous solutions of pH ​= ​1. The SPES membranes demonstrated outstanding adsorption capacity of 42.1 ​mg g−1and [NH 4 +[COF–SO 3 -/SPES MMMs showed the record-breaking adsorption capacity of 99.4 ​mg ​g−1 at pH ​= ​1, displaying excellent great potential in extracting uranium from uranium-containing wastewater. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]