A method of producing a functionalized material that extracts metal ions from solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a precursor material having nitrile groups appended to its surface; and (ii) reacting said nitrile groups with hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature of 60-80° C. for at least 1 hour, to convert at least a portion of said nitrile groups to amidoxime and imide dioxime groups, followed by reaction with a base capable of hydrolyzing any remaining nitrile groups to carboxylic acid groups; wherein said functionalized material has a higher uranium absorption capacity than a functionalized material produced under same conditions except that the nitrile groups are reacted with hydroxylamine in only a protic solvent. The invention is also directed to functionalized materials produced by the above-described method, and methods for using the functionalized material for extracting metal ions from metal-containing solutions.

A method of producing a functionalized material that extracts metal ions from solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a precursor material having nitrile groups appended to its surface; and (ii) reacting said nitrile groups with hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature of 60-80° C. for at least 1 hour, to convert at least a portion of said nitrile groups to amidoxime and imide dioxime groups, followed by reaction with a base capable of hydrolyzing any remaining nitrile groups to carboxylic acid groups; wherein said functionalized material has a higher uranium absorption capacity than a functionalized material produced under same conditions except that the nitrile groups are reacted with hydroxylamine in only a protic solvent. The invention is also directed to functionalized materials produced by the above-described method, and methods for using the functionalized material for extracting metal ions from metal-containing solutions.

A method of producing a functionalized material that extracts metal ions from solution, the method comprising: (i) providing a precursor material having nitrile groups appended to its surface; and (ii) reacting said nitrile groups with hydroxylamine or a derivative thereof in the presence of a polar aprotic solvent at a temperature of 60-80° C. for at least 1 hour, to convert at least a portion of said nitrile groups to amidoxime and imide dioxime groups, followed by reaction with a base capable of hydrolyzing any remaining nitrile groups to carboxylic acid groups; wherein said functionalized material has a higher uranium absorption capacity than a functionalized material produced under same conditions except that the nitrile groups are reacted with hydroxylamine in only a protic solvent. The invention is also directed to functionalized materials produced by the above-described method, and methods for using the functionalized material for extracting metal ions from metal-containing solutions.

An additive for incorporating ultraviolet radiation protection into a synthetic polymer with the additive and the synthetic polymer for forming a synthetic material is disclosed which has a quantity of zinc oxide particles modified with a layer of a reactive group that forms a bond with a synthetic polymer having C-H bonds.

A product for incorporating ultraviolet radiation protection and antimicrobial protection into a synthetic polymer is disclosed which has a quantity of zinc oxide particles modified with a layer of a reactive group that forms a bond with a quantity of synthetic polymer chips having C—H bonds. A product for incorporating ultraviolet radiation protection and antimicrobial protection into a synthetic polymer prior to forming a synthetic material is also disclosed which has a quantity of synthetic polymer chips and a quantity of zinc oxide particles modified with a layer of a reactive group that forms a bond with the quantity of the synthetic polymer chips.

A wash-durable mask is formed including a textile material, where the textile material is obtained by a process including a first process cycle. The first process cycle includes treating a starting textile material using an exhaust process, where the liquor includes one or more antimicrobial agents selected from a quaternary ammonium organosilane compound, polyglucosamine, polyhexamethylene biguanide, and propiconazole, and subjecting the treated textile to a curing at an ambient temperature of at least 150° C. and of at most 205° C.

A wash-durable mask is formed including a textile material, where the textile material is obtained by a process including a first process cycle. The first process cycle includes treating a starting textile material using an exhaust process, where the liquor includes one or more antimicrobial agents selected from a quaternary ammonium organosilane compound, polyglucosamine, polyhexamethylene biguanide, and propiconazole, and subjecting the treated textile to a curing at an ambient temperature of at least 150° C. and of at most 205° C.

A product for incorporating ultraviolet radiation protection and antimicrobial protection into a synthetic polymer is disclosed which has a quantity of zinc oxide particles with each particle having a surface, a paste, a quantity of synthetic polymer chips, and a quantity of a reactive group for modifying each surface of each zinc oxide particle, the quantity of the reactive group sufficient for forming a bond with the quantity of synthetic polymer chips prior to the quantity of synthetic polymer chips being formed into a fiber.

Ultraviolet protective textiles and methods of making ultraviolet protective textiles including a sheet substrate comprising a synthetic, semi-synthetic or natural textile or blend thereof, a UV absorbing chemical present on the substrate, and a capping agent bound to the UV absorbing chemical. The UV absorbing chemical may be an organic acid, protein, flavonoid, or a polyphenolic compound, for example, such as tannic acid. The capping agent may be an alkylbenzene based surfactant, phenylethanoid, monophenol, or protein, for example, such as whey or casein.

A process of making a textile material antimicrobial includes a first process cycle including treating the textile material using a liquor application process that includes one or more antimicrobial agents, and subjecting the treated textile material to a heat treatment. The process also includes a second process cycle being performed after the first process cycle and including treating the textile material using a liquor application process that includes one or more antimicrobial agents, and drying the textile material to evaporate water in the textile material and curing the treated textile material after the water in the textile material has been evaporated by the drying.