Tritium Removal from Tritiated Water by Organic Functionalized SBA-15

Mesoporous silicas (SBA-15) were modified by -COOH, -SO₃H and -NH₂ groups and their tritium adsorption ability from tritiated water under solid-liquid sorption was investigated. The adsorption abilities and separation factor of organic functionalized SBAs were comparable to those of bare SBA. The desorption of water from bare SBA and -COOH functionalized SBA were studied by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy using D₂O as a probe molecule. An interaction was observed for D₂O with -COOH group where the hydrogen bonds became weaker than D₂O with bare SBA.