Performance of acrylic monomer based terpolymer/montmorillonite nanocomposite hydrogels for U(VI) removal from aqueous solutions

► We report adsorptive properties of four nanocomposite hydrogels for U(VI) recovery. ► The hydrogels are acrylic monomer based terpolymer/montmorillonite nanocomposites. ► All of nanocomposites are very promising for U(VI) removal from aqueous solution. ► Homogeneous solid phase diffusion is a rate limiting step in the sorption process. ► The hydrogels loaded by U(VI) are easily regenerated with HNO3 and reusable. Acrylic monomer based terpolymer/montmorillonite nanocomposite hydrogels (NH-MMTs) synthesized using 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), 2-acrylamido-2-methlypropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in the aqueous montmorillonite (MMT) suspension were employed as adsorbents for U(VI) removal from aqueous solutions. Adsorption efficiency of the NH-MMTs was strongly enhanced by increasing pH in the range of 3–6. Adsorption capacity of the NHs increased with the MMT weight ratio up to 1% and the complete removal of U(VI) from 1mmol/L aqueous solutions was achieved by 2g/L polymer but further increase of MMT up to 6% caused a gradual decrease in adsorption percentage up to 57%. Nearly 98% of U(VI) loaded on the adsorbents could be recovered by 0.1M HNO3. Consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles showed that the NH-MMTs are re-usable. Kinetic results were analyzed using Paterson's and Nernst Planck approximation's based on homogeneous solid phase diffusion (HSPD). Experimental data were fitted to equilibrium isotherm models, Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin–Radushkevich and Temkin. SEM, and FTIR analysis of bare and U(VI) loaded adsorbents were used to elucidate adsorption mechanisms. The results showed that the NH-MMTs tested in this study are very promising for the recovery of U(VI) from water.