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Dense Polyacrylic Acid-Immobilized Polypropylene Non-woven Fabrics Prepared Via UV-Induced Photograft Technique for the Recovery of Rare Earth Ions from Aqueous Solution

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Abstract

In this work, a novel and easy-separating rare earth adsorbent (PAA/PPNWF) was successfully synthesized by generating dense polyacrylic acid (PAA) on the surface of polypropylene nonwoven fabric (PPNWF) via UV-induced photograft technology. PAA/PPNWF was characterized by optical microscope (OM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Ce3+ was used as a model for investigating the adsorption performance of PAA/PPNWF. The maximum adsorption for Ce3+ reached 364.21 mg g−1 (initial concentration = 600 mg L−1, pH 6, T = 303.15 K) and the adsorption achieved equilibrium quickly within 40 min. PAA/PPNWF could be regenerated easily and there was small loss of its adsorption capacity after regeneration (keeping 86.7% adsorption capacity after even 8 times adsorption–desorption cycle). Moreover, 96% of Ce3+ was recycled efficiently from simulated wastewater with low pH and concentration within 60 min by PAA/PPNWF, which reflects application potential of this adsorbent.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge precious support provided by the National Natural Science Fund of ‘Study on the Control of Catalytic Ozonation and Bromate Formation by Surface Performance Regulation of Fe-Co/Mn Based Catalysts (No. 2018033022)’, and the fund of ‘Study on Preparation and Performance of Biomass Macromolecular Composites (No. 2017036019)’.

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  1. Faculty of Material and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Lu Mo Road 388, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Jin Wei, Yunlong Xiao, Can Yang, Yang Cai, Wenjun Luo, Tiantian Luo, Haifeng Li & Zhihong Yang

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  1. Jin Wei
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  2. Yunlong Xiao
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  3. Can Yang
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Correspondence to Wenjun Luo.

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Wei, J., Xiao, Y., Yang, C. et al. Dense Polyacrylic Acid-Immobilized Polypropylene Non-woven Fabrics Prepared Via UV-Induced Photograft Technique for the Recovery of Rare Earth Ions from Aqueous Solution. J Polym Environ 29, 2492–2503 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-021-02068-8

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