Binding Properties of a Polymer Having Amidoxime Groups with Proton and Metal Ions

Abstract

The proton-binding behavior of a polymer having amidoxime groups was examined by the potentiometric titration method. Adsorptive properties of the polymer for UO₂(VI), Mg(II), Fe(II), Ni(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) were also examined at very low concentrations in the 1–9 pH range. The amidoxime polymer possesses adsorptive affinities of the following order: (Mg(II), Ca(II)) < Zn(II) < Co(II) < Ni(II) < Cu(II) < UO₂(VI). These adsorptive affinities are reasonably explained by the proton-binding and the metal ion-complexing abilities of the ligand, and are discussed from the standpoint of uranium recovery from seawater.