Systems and strippable coatings for decontaminating structures that include porous material

• US 8,070,881 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2010
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Montana State University
• Original Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Inventors: Fox, Robert V., Avci, Recep, Groenewold, Gary S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lipman, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US12/704,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20100206345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/8, 588/16
• US Class Current: 134/1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0014 by incorporation in a layer which is removed with the contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 65/34 from hydroxy compounds or their metallic derivatives C08G65/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 79/025 Polyphosphazenes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 85/02 containing phosphorus

Abstract

Methods of removing contaminant matter from porous materials include applying a polymer material to a contaminated surface, irradiating the contaminated surface to cause redistribution of contaminant matter, and removing at least a portion of the polymer material from the surface. Systems for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material include a radiation device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a structure, and at least one spray device configured to apply a capture material onto the surface of the structure. Polymer materials that can be used in such methods and systems include polyphosphazine-based polymer materials having polyphosphazine backbone segments and side chain groups that include selected functional groups. The selected functional groups may include iminos, oximes, carboxylates, sulfonates, β-diketones, phosphine sulfides, phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, monothio phosphinic acids, and dithio phosphinic acids.

Claims

1. A system for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material, the system comprising:

at least one radiation device configured and oriented to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a contaminated structure; and

at least one spray device configured and oriented to apply a capture material onto the surface of the contaminated structure, wherein the at least one spray device includes a container and a capture material comprising a polymer material within the container including at least one functional group that binds to contaminant matter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiation device is configured to emit at least one beam of substantially coherent electromagnetic radiation toward the surface of the contaminated structure.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one radiation device comprises at least one laser device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the capture material comprises a polyphosphazine-based polymer material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an electrical control device configured to selectively control at least one of the at least one radiation device and the at least one spray device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle, at least a portion of the at least one radiation device and at least a portion of the at least one spray device being mounted to the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle is configured to be operated from a remote location.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising at least one robotic arm mounted to the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one radiation device is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a contaminated structure from at least one radiation port mounted on the at least one robotic arm.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one spray device is configured to spray capture material toward a surface of a contaminated structure from at least one spray port or nozzle mounted on the at least one robotic arm.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least another spray device configured to apply a chemical reagent to the surface of the contaminated structure prior to applying the capture material to the surface of the contaminated structure.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a reservoir for containing a chemical reagent configured to facilitate redistribution of contaminant matter to the surface of the contaminated structure.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one heating element configured to maintain the capture material at a selected temperature above a solidification temperature of the capture material at least while the capture material is within the container.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one heating element is further configured to maintain the capture material at a selected temperature above the solidification temperature of the capture material while the capture material is in the first spray device and in fluid supply lines extending between the container and the first spray device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one radiation device comprises a plurality of radiation devices, each radiation device of the plurality configured to emit a beam of substantially coherent electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength different from the beams of substantially coherent electromagnetic radiation emitted by other radiation devices.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising sensors configured to indicate a distance to a contaminated surface.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising sensors configured to indicate a temperature of a contaminated surface.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device for removing the capture material from the contaminated structure after the capture material has been applied to the contaminated structure.