Journal of Radiation Research and Radiation Processing, Volume. 43, Issue 2, 020202(2025)

Preparation of polyacrylamide-grafted polymer/xanthan gum aerosol immobilizers and their immobilization for tellurium aerosol capture studies

Danfeng JIANG1, Guohua SONG2, Xuefei LI1, Xingdong SU1, Jie ZHAN1, Mengqing XIAO3, and Yintao LI3、*
Author Affiliations
  • 1China Nuclear Power Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen 518028, China
  • 2China General Nuclear Power Group, Shenzhen 518000, China
  • 3State Key Laboratory for Environment-friendly Energy Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology,Mianyang 621000, China
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    Radioactive aerosols (polonium and polonium compounds) generated during the normal operation of lead-bismuth coolants are extremely toxic and radioactive, thus rendering them detrimental to the operation staff and environment. Thus, radioactive polonium aerosols generated during polonium removal must be captured and immobilized. In this study, an aerosol fixative with desirable wettability and capture fixation properties was prepared using compounding xanthan gum (XG) with a grafted polymer polyacrylamide grafted acrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (PAM-g-PAA/PHEA), and a polyacrylamide-based material was used for the substrate. The structure of the aerosol fixative was analyzed and confirmed via infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal properties, wettability, as well as capture and fixation effects of tellurium (simulated polonium) aerosols were investigated via thermogravimetric analysis, contact-angle measurements, and fixed-sedimentation experiments. The results showed that PAM-g-PAA/PHEA and XG synergistically formed a dual-network structure through hydrogen bonding and that the thermal, wettability, and immobilization properties of the aerosol fixative improved. The optimal addition amount of XG was determined to be 0.05% based on the results of sedimentation experiments, wettability, and fixation rate. At this optimal amount, the aerosol fixing agent exerts the greatest effect on the hydrogen bond and van der Waals forces of tellurium powder. The lowest contact angle is 38.38°, and the tellurium powder infiltrated completely within 80 s. Based on the mass-concentration change, the sedimentation fixation rate is 99.24%, which indicates that atomization fixation is suitable for capturing and fixing radioactive aerosols. The small droplets atomized by the aerosol fixing agent in this study rapidly deposited aerosols, followed by continuous capture and fixation. The results of batch fixed sedimentation verify that this type of aerosol fixing agent is suitable for the capture and fixation of tellurium aerosols, thus providing technical support for the capture and fixation of radioactive polonium aerosols.

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    Danfeng JIANG, Guohua SONG, Xuefei LI, Xingdong SU, Jie ZHAN, Mengqing XIAO, Yintao LI. Preparation of polyacrylamide-grafted polymer/xanthan gum aerosol immobilizers and their immobilization for tellurium aerosol capture studies[J]. Journal of Radiation Research and Radiation Processing, 2025, 43(2): 020202

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    Paper Information

    Category: RADIATION CHEMISTRY

    Received: Aug. 17, 2024

    Accepted: Nov. 14, 2024

    Published Online: May. 16, 2025

    The Author Email: Yintao LI (李银涛)

    DOI:10.11889/j.1000-3436.2024-0069

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