The synthesis, characterization and decontamination of surface radioactive contamination of ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate strippable detergent at low temperature

It is an important issue to handle the surface contamination of nuclear facilities in the development of nuclear industry and nuclear emergency, especially in low temperature environment. In order to solve the problem of frozen, poor film-forming and strippability of the detergent at low temperature (below 0ºC), a novel ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate detergent was synthesized by free radical polymerization from ethyl cellulose, methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), and isooctyl acrylate (IOA). The wettability of the detergent on different surfaces was determined by contact angle testing method. The film-forming and peeling property, rheological property of ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate detergent at low temperature were studied and the mechanical properties of the peeling film of ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate were tested. The decontamination of simulated radionuclide on the different plates by the ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate detergent at the temperature range of − 15ºC ~ 0ºC was also explored. The mechanism of simulated radionuclide transferring and decontamination was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy spectrum (EDS). The results show that the detergent can not be frozen even at low temperature (−25ºC), and is easy to be sprayed, forming film and peeled off on the plates of stainless steel, ceramic tiles, glass, marble and concrete within 18 h at the low temperature range of − 15ºC ~ 0ºC. The decontamination efficiency of the ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate detergent is above 90% for radionuclide contamination on the surface of stainless steel, ceramic tiles, glass and marble plates, the decontamination efficiency on concrete is above 80%, at the temperature range of − 15ºC ~ 0ºC. The mechanism of simulated radionuclide transferring from the surface of contaminated plates into the detergent and being removed were diffusion, adhesion and embedding. Therefore, the ethyl cellulose/polyacrylate detergent has a good application prospect in surface decontamination of nuclear facility decommisioning due to its excellent fluidity, spraying, rheological property, film forming, strippable property, high decontamination efficiency at low temperature.