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A strippable catechol-terminated polyurethane coating for large-area radioactive cesium decontamination
Jae Seung Lee1, Ye-Won Jeong2, Donghyun Kim1
1School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea. dongwoog.lee@unist.ac.kr.
Materials Horizons
|March 18, 2026
Summary
A new strippable polyurethane coating effectively removes radioactive cesium-137 from surfaces. This catechol-terminated polyurethane (CPU) offers rapid decontamination and reduced radioactive waste, preventing further contamination.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Radiochemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Radioactive contamination poses significant health and environmental risks.
- Efficient decontamination methods are crucial for managing radioactive exposure and preventing widespread contamination.
- Existing decontamination techniques can be slow, inefficient, or generate secondary waste.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel strippable coating for rapid and effective radioactive surface decontamination.
- To evaluate the performance of a catechol-terminated polyurethane (CPU) coating for removing radioactive elements.
- To assess the potential of the CPU coating for waste reduction and prevention of secondary contamination.
Main Methods:
- Development of a catechol-terminated polyurethane (CPU) coating.
- Application of the CPU coating via spraying or solution casting.
- Room temperature drying of the applied coating.
- Stripping of the coating with adsorbed radioactive elements.
- Evaluation of 137Cs removal efficiency on stainless steel and cement surfaces.
- Assessment of coating dissolvability in acetone for waste management.
Main Results:
- The CPU coating demonstrated high 137Cs removal efficiency: ~94.9% on stainless steel and ~59.1% on rough cement within 3 hours.
- Performance significantly outperformed commercial decontamination coatings, especially on cement surfaces (8.4% after 24 hours).
- The coating exhibited sufficient toughness and adhesion, enabling easy stripping.
- Coating waste was readily dissolvable in acetone, facilitating potential waste reduction and secondary contamination prevention.
Conclusions:
- The strippable catechol-terminated polyurethane (CPU) coating is a highly effective and rapid strategy for radioactive surface decontamination.
- CPU coatings offer superior performance compared to existing methods, particularly on challenging surfaces like cement.
- The dissolvable nature of the CPU coating presents a promising approach for minimizing radioactive waste and preventing secondary contamination.
