Synthesis of Metal Binding Polymers for Water Purification
Abstract
Water is one of the most precious resources on our planet, making up roughly two thirds of the earth’s surface. Despite the abundance of water, access to clean water has become increasingly difficult. Decades of industrial activities and neglect for the environment have contributed to water pollution. Heavy metals, a common water pollutant in drinking water, are known to cause damage to multiple organs and are one of the major causes of cancer as well as other life-threatening conditions. Removal of heavy metal contaminants is a critical part of water purification. While several methods exist, the use of polymers to bind heavy metals offers many advantages over comparable methods, such as improved efficiency and elimination of harmful byproducts. The purpose of this study is to synthesize various chelating polymers with different functional groups and different polymer architectures to determine their efficiency at extracting heavy metals from contaminated water. A single polymer can be functionalized with a variety of metal binding groups, creating a “library” of metal chelating polymers for detailed binding studies. With a controlled polymerization technique, the molecular weight and chain functionality can be manipulated. The polymer poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate) (PPFPA) was synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. This polymer was functionalized with various nucleophiles to install chelating groups onto the polymer, which allows for the binding of various metals to the polymer. IR Spectroscopy, F-NMR, and H-NMR were performed to ensure successful synthesis and functionalization.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Patricia Calvo
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-5-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
4-6-2023 4:00 PM
Synthesis of Metal Binding Polymers for Water Purification
Alvin Sherman Library
Water is one of the most precious resources on our planet, making up roughly two thirds of the earth’s surface. Despite the abundance of water, access to clean water has become increasingly difficult. Decades of industrial activities and neglect for the environment have contributed to water pollution. Heavy metals, a common water pollutant in drinking water, are known to cause damage to multiple organs and are one of the major causes of cancer as well as other life-threatening conditions. Removal of heavy metal contaminants is a critical part of water purification. While several methods exist, the use of polymers to bind heavy metals offers many advantages over comparable methods, such as improved efficiency and elimination of harmful byproducts. The purpose of this study is to synthesize various chelating polymers with different functional groups and different polymer architectures to determine their efficiency at extracting heavy metals from contaminated water. A single polymer can be functionalized with a variety of metal binding groups, creating a “library” of metal chelating polymers for detailed binding studies. With a controlled polymerization technique, the molecular weight and chain functionality can be manipulated. The polymer poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate) (PPFPA) was synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. This polymer was functionalized with various nucleophiles to install chelating groups onto the polymer, which allows for the binding of various metals to the polymer. IR Spectroscopy, F-NMR, and H-NMR were performed to ensure successful synthesis and functionalization.
