Divinyl sulfone cross-linked cyclodextrin-based polymeric materials: synthesis and applications as sorbents and...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Cyclodextrins (CDs) are widely used due to their ability to form inclusion complexes.
• Developing water-insoluble CD-based polymers (CDPs) is crucial for various applications.
• Divinyl sulfone (DVS) is a potential crosslinking agent for polymer synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel water-insoluble CDPs using DVS as a crosslinker.
• To investigate the crosslinking capabilities of DVS with different cyclodextrins and starch.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these CDPs in forming inclusion complexes with various guest molecules.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of homo- and hetero-CDPs using DVS with α-CD, β-CD, and/or starch.
• Characterization of CDPs using powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy.
• Sorption studies with phenolic pollutants and bioactive compounds.

Main Results:

• Successful preparation of water-insoluble CDPs with varying crosslinking degrees.
• CDPs demonstrated effective sorption of phenol, 4-nitrophenol, bisphenol A, β-naphthol, progesterone, and curcumin.
• Inclusion complex formation was primarily influenced by the cyclodextrin type, not the crosslinking degree.

Conclusions:

• DVS is a suitable crosslinking agent for creating functional CDPs.
• The synthesized CDPs show potential as sorbents for pollutants and bioactive compounds.
• Sorption mechanisms are predominantly based on inclusion complex formation, often following Freundlich or Langmuir isotherms.