(697e) Metal Ion Imprinted Polymers for Selective Separation of Metal Ions

The copper imprinted polymer micro-spheres with different structure and size were prepared. In preparation of core-shell type polymes, the PS cores were coated with copper methacrylate polymer to form a copper ion-imprinted shell layer. In preparation of porous microspherical polymers, porogenic solvent was used during the suspension polymerization of mathacrylic acid monomer. The imprinted polymer was sufficiently rigid to provide concrete binding sites to the template ion. The size, shape, and selective sorption characteristic of the metal imprinted micro-spheres were studied using several techniques including SEM, FTIR, a Zeta meter, EDX, and adsorption experiments. Copper ions were easily removed from the host polymer micro particles in a short time in preparation of Cu(II)-imprinted micro-spheres. The micro-particles synthesized showed excellent recognition ability for the template metal ion. The absorption capacity increased with increasing pH due to deprotonation of carboxylic groups. The adsorption capacity of polymer particles imprinted for the Cu2+ template ion was much higher than other metal ions. Also, the ion imprinted polymers exhibited a much higher adsorption capacity and selectivity than non-imprinted. All binding capability of imprinted polymers were reproducible by zeta potential measurement.