Double-network composite hydrogel for efficient surface decontamination of nuclides

The efficient removal of radionuclides from contaminated surfaces remains a persistent challenge in nuclear decontamination. In this study, we present a double-network composite hydrogel IA-PAAM/PAMPS (IA: iminodiacetic acid, PAAM: acrylamide, PAMPS: 2-Acrylamido-2 methylpropanesulfonic) as a highly effective approach for radionuclide removal. The hydrogel demonstrates excellent removal capabilities for both actinides (UO 2 2+ and Th 4+ ) and fission products (Sr 2+ and Cs + ). A large number of liquid adsorption and surface decontamination experiments have also confirmed that IA-PAAM/PAMPS has the universality of binding with various nuclides, and achieving a satisfactory decontamination rate of more than 90 % in 10 min. Then XPS and FT-IR analyses reveal that the hydrogel’s effectiveness stems from multiple mechanisms, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and complexation with sulfonic acid groups. Furthermore, the hydrogel exhibits high decontamination efficiency across various solid surfaces, indicating its potential for use in post-nuclear accident remediation.