A new ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) was synthesized by thermal copolymerization of bis(2-methacryloxyethyl) phosphate as functional ligand and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker in the presence of Th4+ as a template ion. The molar ratio of the functional ligand to Th4+ was optimized to be 4 by 31P NMR titration, elemental analysis, and EXAFS, which was verified by comparing the adsorption capacities and selectivities of IIPs with different composition. Thorium(IV) ions were leached out using 0.1 mol L−1 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt and the prepared IIP was characterized by infra-red spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area measurement. It was found that the IIP could extract Th4+ from high acidity solution. The maximum adsorption capacity was as high as 33.3 mg g−1 in 1.0 mol L−1 HCl. Even in 6.0 mol L−1 HCl, its adsorption capacity was still considerable. Moreover, the IIP exhibited good selectivity towards Th4+, especially in the presence of competing ions such as La3+, Eu3+, Yb3+, UO22+, and Fe3+.

•UO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the radiolytic reduction of (NH4)4UO2(CO3)3 with high efficiency.•The as-prepared UO2 nanoparticles were stable in the irradiated mother solution exposed to air atmosphere.•UO2powders could be sintered at 450–600 °C in vacuum, much lower than that in traditional process.UO2 nanoparticles were successfully obtained from ammonium uranyl tricarbonate with high efficiency by γ-irradiation. More importantly, the as-prepared nanoparticles were stable in the irradiated mother solution exposed to air atmosphere. The purified UO2 powders could be sintered at 450–600 °C, much lower than the reported values (above 1700 °C) of bulk UO2. These advantages made this method promising in the production of UO2 nuclear fuels.

Two sulphonate-crown ether surfactants (sodium (4′-dodecanoyldibenzo-18-crown-6)-4″(5″)-sulphonate, ammonium (4′-dodecanoyldibenzo-18-crown-6)-4″(5″)-sulphonate) were designed and synthesized via a two-step continuous method. The products were purified and characterized by IR, 1H NMR and elemental analysis. The physicochemical properties of the surfactants were studied by fluorescence, conductivity and dynamic light scattering techniques.In the manuscript, two sulphonate-crown ether surfactants (sodium (4′-dodecanoyldibenzo-18-crown-6)-4″(5″)-sulphonate, ammonium (4′-dodecanoyldibenzo-18-crown-6)-4″(5″)-sulphonate) were designed and synthesized by a two-step continuous method. The synthesized sulphonate-crown ether surfactants were characterized by IR, 1H NMR and elemental analysis. The physicochemical properties of the surfactants were studied by fluorescence, conductivity and dynamic light scattering techniques.

Black precipitates were successfully obtained by radiolytic reduction of ammonium uranyl tricarbonate in the aqueous solution of HCOONH4 by one step. TEM, SAED, EDS, and XRD analysis indicated that the precipitates consist of hollow UO2 nanospheres (ϕ: 30–50 nm, wall thickness: 8–15 nm, and cavity diameter: 10–20 nm). The effect of HCOONH4 concentration, irradiation time and dose rate on the morphology, and size of nanospheres was investigated. Then, a gas-bubble template mechanism was proposed.Hollow nanospheres (ϕ: 30–50 nm, wall thickness: 8–15 nm, cavity diameter: 10–20 nm), consisted of UO2 nanoparticles (ϕ: 3–5 nm), were successfully obtained by the radiolytic reduction of ammonium uranyl tricarbonate in the HCOONH4 aqueous solution through gas-bubble assembly mechanism.