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Synthesis of Ligand-free CdS Nanoparticles within a Sulfur Copolymer Matrix
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Rapid Mercury(II) Removal by Electrospun Sulfur Copolymers
Michael W Thielke1, Lindsey A Bultema2, Daniel D Brauer3
1Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Bundesstr. 45, 20146 Hamburg, Germany. Michael.Thielke@chemie.uni-hamburg.de.
Polymers
|April 13, 2019
Summary
Electrospun fibers made from a sulfur-rich copolymer efficiently remove over 98% of mercury from water. This novel material offers a fast and highly effective water purification system for mercury remediation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Science
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Mercury contamination in water poses significant environmental and health risks.
- Sulfur-containing polymers are known for their ability to bind heavy metals like mercury.
- Electrospinning offers a method to increase surface area for enhanced material performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate electrospun polymer fibers for efficient mercury removal from aqueous solutions.
- To investigate the mercury binding capacity and rate of novel sulfur-rich copolymer fibers.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a sulfur-rich copolymer via inverse vulcanization.
- Blending the copolymer with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).
- Fabrication of polymer fibers using electrospinning.
Main Results:
- Electrospun fibers demonstrated a mercury decrease of over 98% in a few seconds.
- Achieved a maximum mercury uptake of 440 mg per gram of electrospun fibers.
- The high surface area of electrospun fibers maximized mercury binding efficiency.
Conclusions:
- The developed electrospun polymeric fibers represent a new class of efficient water filtering systems.
- These fibers exhibit one of the highest and fastest mercury uptakes among reported electrospun materials.
- This technology shows promise for effective mercury remediation and water recycling.
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