Rapid and efficient column separation of Re(VII) as a surrogate for Tc(VII) with benzimidazole-based cross-linked poly(ionic liquid)s

In this study, the imidazole-based poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) synthesized by one step method has been applied for the enrichment and recovery of Re(VII), a nonradioactive surrogate of Tc(VII). The anions (Cl-) in the materials could be efficiently exchanged by ReO4- and TcO4- in a rather short time. The PILs-Cl-1 and PILs-Cl-2 before and after adsorption were characterized by BET, SEM, FT-IR and XPS. The adsorption performance of Re(VII) was investigated by batch and column experiments. By contrast, PILs-Cl-2 exhibited a better adsorption performance, and the adsorption capacity reached 94.92 mg/g for ReO4-. In the recovery experiment of TcO4-, the maximum recovery rate of PILs-Cl-2 for TcO4- was 99.9%. The excellent regenerative and recyclable performance of PILs-Cl-2 was also evaluated in the column experiment, which provided an important basis for practical application in industrial field.

Automated summary

In this study, imidazole-based poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) were synthesized and found to have excellent performance in the enrichment and recovery of Tc(VII). The results provide an important basis for practical application in the industrial field.