Thermoresponsive Cationic Polymers: PFAS Binding Performance under Variable pH, Temperature and Comonomer Composition

The versatility and unique qualities of thermoresponsive polymeric systems have led to the application of these materials in a multitude of fields. One such field that can significantly benefit from the use of innovative, smart materials is environmental remediation. Of particular significance, multifunctional poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) systems based on PNIPAAm copolymerized with various cationic comonomers have the opportunity to target and attract negatively charged pollutants such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The thermoresponsive cationic PNIPAAm systems developed in this work were functionalized with cationic monomers N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]acrylamide (DMAPA) and (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride (DMAPAQ). The polymers were examined for swelling capacity behavior and PFOA binding potential when exposed to aqueous environments with varying pH and temperature. Comonomer loading percentages had the most significant effect on polymer swelling behavior and temperature responsiveness as compared to aqueous pH. PFOA removal efficiency was greatly improved with the addition of DMAPA and DMAPAQ monomers. Aqueous pH and buffer selection were important factors when examining binding potential of the polymers, as buffered aqueous environments altered polymer PFOA removal quite drastically. The role of temperature on binding potential was not as expected and had no discernible effect on the ability of DMAPAQ polymers to remove PFOA. Overall, the cationic systems show interesting swelling behavior and significant PFOA removal results that can be explored further for potential environmental remediation applications.