Highly selective recovery of Ni(II) in neutral and acidic media using a novel Ni(II)-ion imprinted polymer

In this work, an original ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) was synthetized for the highly selective removal of Ni(II) ions in neutral and acidic media. First a novel functional monomer (AMP-MMA) was synthetized through the amidation of 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (AMP) with methacryloylchloride. Following Ni(II)/AMP-MMA complex formation study, the Ni(II)-IIP was produced via inverse suspension polymerization (DMSO in mineral oil) and characterized with solid state ¹³C CPMAS NMR, FT-IR, SEM and nitrogen adsorption/desorption experiments. The Ni(II)-IIP was then used in solid-phase extraction of Ni(II) exploring a wide range of pH (from neutral to strongly acidic solution), several initial concentrations of Ni(II) (from 0.02 to 1 g/L), and the presence of competitive ions (Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), Mn(II), and Mg(II)). The maximum Ni(II) adsorption capacity at pH 2 and pH 7 reached values of 138.9 mg/g and 169.5 mg/g, that are among the best reported in literature. The selectivity coefficients toward Cd(II), Mn(II), Co(II), Mg(II) and Cu(II) are also very high, with values up to 38.6, 32.9, 25.2, 23.1 and 15.0, respectively. The Ni(II)-IIP showed good reusability of up to 5 cycles both with acidic and basic Ni(II) eluents.

Iminodiacetic acid-functionalized porous polymer for removal of toxic metal ions from water

The design of efficient adsorbent with abundant binding sites for heavy metal ions is crucial for developing innovative materials that will remove pollutant metal ions. The high uptake capacity, kinetics, and affinity towards the toxic metals are the key requirements that the materials under invesigation should accomplish. Here we report the synthesis of iminodiacetic acid-functionalized hypercrosslinked polymer (IDA-HCP) for purification of water polluted by toxic metal ions via coordination of carboxylate and amino active sites on the surface of porous polymer. The obtained porous polymer is stable under harsh conditions and the structural features on the polymer work together to help the removal of Pb(II) with 1138 mg g^-1 uptake capacity. In the meanwhile, the IDA-HCP reveals reuseability and very promising capture efficiency not only for Pb²⁺, but also for Hg²⁺ and Cd²⁺ from a mixture of Pb²⁺, Hg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe³⁺, Zn²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Na⁺ metal ions. This result gives us confidence that the polymer material can solve the pollution problem caused by various metal ions.

In situ functionalization of HPLC monolithic columns based on divinylbenzene-styrene-4-vinylbenzyl chloride

The properties of chromatographic columns are largely determined by functional groups located on the sorbent surface. For monolithic columns, surface functional groups can be created during synthesis stage or by chemical bonding with the complete surface of the sorbent. One of sorbent modification approach is to use on-column click reactions with surface reactive groups. In this study, the surface treatment of monolithic sorbent based on divinylbenzene (DVB), styrene (St) and 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (4VBC) copolymer by heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compounds 1-methylimidazole (1MI), 2-methylimidazole (2MI), 2-methylpyridine (2 MP) and 4-methylpyridine (4 MP) is described. The reaction of nitrogen-containing heterocycles with chloromethyl fragments on the surface results in formation of ion pairs and significantly changes the selectivity of monolithic columns. The chromatographic properties of prepared columns are studied. Modified columns can be operated in reversed-phase (RP) chromatography or in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) with different composition of the mobile phase. Separation examples of various chemical substances classes are given.

Porous silica and polymer monolith architectures as solid-state optical chemosensors for Hg2+ ions

We demonstrate a simple strategy to concoct a competent solid-state opto-chemosensor for the selective and sensitive visual detection of Hg²⁺ ions. The sensor fabrication involves the utilization of indigenously prepared mesoporous silica and polymer monoliths as probe anchoring templates and 8-hydroxy-7-(4-n-butylphenylazo) quinoline (HBPQ) as the chromo-ionophoric probe for Hg²⁺ sensing. Both the monoliths are designed with discrete structural and morphological features to serve as efficient host templates. The structural and surface features of the monoliths are characterized using p-XRD, TEM, SEM, SAED, EDAX, XPS, and N₂ isotherm analysis. The synergetic features of monolith structural hierarchy along with the probe's selective chelating ability enable rapid signal response and remarkable ion selectivity for Hg²⁺. The solid-state sensors evince a linear signal response from 0.6 to 150 μg/L for Hg²⁺ recognition, with superior data authenticity and replication that is preceded by an RSD value of ≤ 2.25% when tested with real water samples.Graphical abstract Mesoporous silica and polymer monolith architects hosting HBPQ probe molecules demonstrate an excellent visual sensing of ultra-trace (μg/L) Hg²⁺ in various water samples with a striking color transition from light orange to dark red upon complexation of probe with Hg²⁺. The solid-state sensors are Hg²⁺ ion selective, super-responsive, real-time applicable, and also reusable.

Application of nitrogen-rich porous organic polymer for the solid-phase synthesis of 2-amino-4H-benzo[b]pyran scaffolds using ball milling process

This paper presents the efficient synthesis of 2-amino-4H-benzo[b]pyrans using mesoporous poly-melamine-formaldehyde as a polymeric heterogeneous catalyst. According to the principals of green chemistry, the reaction was performed by the planetary ball milling process at ambient and neat conditions. The heterogeneous catalyst could be reused up to five runs with no reducing of catalytic efficiency. A variety of substituted 2-amino-4H-benzo[b]pyrans were obtained in good to excellent yields under eco-friendly conditions. Other advantages of the current methodology include short reaction time, wide substrate-scope, and use of a metal-free polymeric catalyst. Also, the current method avoids the use of hazardous reagents and solvents, tedious workup and multi-step purification. This work revealed that porous organic polymers containing Lewis base sites having acceptor-donner hydrogen bonding functional groups, and high porosity could play a vital role in the promotion of the one-pot multicomponent reactions in the solid-phase synthesis.

Green synthesis of a magnetic β-cyclodextrin polymer for rapid removal of organic micro-pollutants and heavy metals from dyeing wastewater

Adsorption is one of the most preferred techniques in the advanced treatment of dyeing wastewater. Magnetic porous materials with good adsorption performance, excellent reusability, and a green synthesis route are highly desirable adsorbents in commerce. In this study, we synthesized a magnetic β-cyclodextrin polymer (MNP-CM-CDP) containing many macro- and ultramicropores in aqueous phase. CO₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms and a dye adsorption method provided Langmuir specific surface areas for the MNP-CM-CDP of 114.4 m² g^-1 and 153 m² g^-1, respectively. Model pollutants (BPA, MB, BO₂, RhB, Cr(III), Pb(II), Zn(II), and Cu(II)) were rapidly and efficiently removed from the aqueous solution by the MNP-CM-CDP. In addition, the polymer could be easily separated from the solution under an external magnetic field. The adsorption of the contaminants was dependent on pH, while the effects of ionic strength and humic acid were slight in the concentration range studied. The polymer could be easily regenerated at room temperature and retained good adsorption performance. Moreover, the MNP-CM-CDP showed good feasibility for the removal of pollutants from actual dyeing wastewater samples.

Three-dimensional differentiation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural precursor cells using tailored porous polymer scaffolds

This study investigates the utility of a tailored poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate-crosslinked porous polymeric tissue engineering scaffold, with mechanical properties specifically optimised to be comparable to that of mammalian brain tissue for 3D human neural cell culture. Results obtained here demonstrate the attachment, proliferation and terminal differentiation of both human induced pluripotent stem cell- and embryonic stem cell-derived neural precursor cells (hPSC-NPCs) throughout the interconnected porous network within laminin-coated scaffolds. Phenotypic data and functional analyses are presented demonstrating that this material supports terminal in vitro neural differentiation of hPSC-NPCs to a mixed population of viable neuronal and glial cells for periods of up to 49 days. This is evidenced by the upregulation of TUBB3, MAP2, SYP and GFAP gene expression, as well as the presence of the proteins βIII-TUBULIN, NEUN, MAP2 and GFAP. Functional maturity of neural cells following 49 days 3D differentiation culture was tested via measurement of intracellular calcium. These analyses revealed spontaneously active, synchronous and rhythmic calcium flux, as well as response to the neurotransmitter glutamate. This tailored construct has potential application as an improved in vitro human neurogenesis model with utility in platform drug discovery programs. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The interconnected porosity of polyHIPE scaffolds exhibits the ability to support three-dimensional neural cell network formation due to limited resistance to cellular migration and re-organisation. The previously developed scaffold material displays mechanical properties similar to that of the mammalian brain. This research also employs the utility of pluripotent stem cell-derived neural cells which are of greater clinical relevance than primary neural cell lines. This scaffold material has future potential in better mimicking three-dimensional neural networks found in the human brain and may result in improved in vitro models for disease modelling and drug screening applications.

Triphenylphosphine-based functional porous polymer as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of cyclic carbonates from CO2

A novel triphenylphosphine-based porous polymer (TPDB) with a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area was synthesized through Friedel-Crafts alkylation of triphenylphosphine and α-dibromo-p-xylene. Then, the functional hydroxyl groups were successfully grafted onto the polymer framework by post modification of TPDB with 3-bromo-1-propanol (BP) and triethanolamine (TEA). The resulting sample TPDB-BP-TEA was characterized by various techniques such as FT-IR, TG, SEM, EDS mapping, ICP-MS, and N₂ adsorption-desorption. This new polymer was tested as the catalyst in the solvent-free cycloaddition reaction of CO₂ with epoxides, which exhibited excellent performance, with high yield, selectivity, and stable recyclability for several catalytic cycles. The comparison experiment results demonstrate that the bromide ions and hydroxyl groups, as well as high surface area, are key factors in improving the catalytic activity of this new catalyst.

Fabrication of interfacial functionalized porous polymer monolith and its adsorption properties of copper ions

The interfacial functionalized poly (glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) porous monolith was fabricated and applied as a novel porous adsorbent for copper ions (Cu(2+)). PGMA porous material with highly interconnected pore network was prepared by concentrated emulsion polymerization template. Then polyacrylic acid (PAA) was grafted onto the interface of the porous monolith by the reaction between the epoxy group on PGMA and a carboxyl group on PAA. Finally, the porous monolith was interfacial functionalized by rich amount of carboxyl groups and could adsorb copper ions effectively. The chemical structure and porous morphology of the porous monolith were measured by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the effects of pore size distribution, pH value, co-existing ions, contacting time, and initial concentrations of copper ions on the adsorption capacity of the porous adsorbents were studied.