Zeolitic material, Z-Y3, was synthesized from coal fly ash (CFA) under low-alkaline conditions (NaOH/CFA ratio = 0.3 and NaOH solution concentrations of 0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 M) using a fusion/hydrothermal method. The adsorption capacities of the fabricated Z-Y3 samples for Cs and Sr ions and the desorption capacity of Na ions were evaluated. The XRD patterns of the Z-Y3 sample fabricated using a 1.0 M NaOH solution (Z-Y3 (1.0 M)) indicated the successful synthesis of a zeolitic material, because the diffraction peaks of Z-Y3 coincided with those of the Na-A zeolite in the 2θ range of 7.18-34.18. Moreover, the SEM images revealed that morphology of the Z-Y3 (1.0 M) sample, which presented zeolitic materials characteristics, consisted of sharp-edged cubes. The adsorption isotherms of Cs and Sr ions on all the fabricated Z-Y3 samples were described using the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacities of Cs and Sr were calculated to be 0.14-0.94 mmol/g and 0.19-0.78 mmol/g, respectively. The desorption of Na ions from the Cs and Sr ions adsorbed Z-Y3 samples followed the Langmuir desorption model. The maximum desorption capacities of Na ions from the Cs and Sr ions adsorbed Z-Y3 (1.0 M) samples were 1.28 and 1.49 mmol/g, respectively.

A zeolitic material (Z-Y2) was synthesized from Coal Fly Ash (CFA) using a fusion/hydrothermal method under low-alkali condition (NaOH/CFA = 0.6). The adsorption performance of the prepared zeolite was evaluated by monitoring its removal efficiencies for Sr and Cs ions, which are well-known as significant radionuclides in liquid radioactive waste. The XRD (X-ray diffraction) patterns of the synthesized Z-Y2 indicated that a Na-A type zeolite was formed from raw coal fly ash. The SEM (scanning electron microscope) images also showed that a cubic crystal structure of size 1~3㎼ was formed on its surface. In the adsorption kinetic analysis, the adsorption of Sr and Cs ions on Z-Y2 fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic model well, instead of the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The second-order kinetic rate constant (k2) was determined to be 0.0614 g/mmol·min for Sr and 1.8172 g/mmol·min for Cs. The adsorption equilibria of Sr and Cs ions on Z-Y2 were fitted successfully by Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity (qm) of Sr and Cs was calculated as 1.6846 mmol/g and 1.2055 mmol/g, respectively. The maximum desorption capacity (qdm) of the Na ions estimated via the Langmuir desorption model was 2.4196 mmol/g for Sr and 2.1870 mmol/g for Cs. The molar ratio of the desorption/adsorption capacity (qdm/qm) was determined to be 1.44 for Na/Sr and 1.81 for Na/Cs, indicating that the amounts of desorbed Na ions and adsorbed Sr and Cs ions did not yield an equimolar ratio when using Z-Y2.

Zeolite (FZ), prepared from fly ash, was immobilized with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) to fabricate PAN/FZ beads. The prepared PAN/FZ beads were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optimum ratio to prepare PAN/FZ beads was 0.3 g of PAN to 0.3 g of FZ. The diameter of the prepared PAN/FZ beads was about 3 mm. Sr and Cu ion adsorption experiments were conducted with PAN/FZ beads. A pseudo-second-order model fit the kinetic data for Sr and Cu ion adsorption by PAN/FZ beads well. The equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacities were 96.5 mg/g and 74.6 mg/g for the Sr and Cu ions, respectively. Additionally, the values of thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (ΔGo), enthalpy (ΔHo) and entropy (ΔSo) were determined. The positive values of ΔHo revealed the endothermic nature of the adsorption process and the negative values of ΔGo were indicative of the spontaneity of the adsorption process.