Temperature-Responsive Aqueous Two-Phase System Based on Cationic Polyelectrolytes for Polymer Microspheres...

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Traditional polymer microsphere synthesis uses organic solvents, posing environmental risks and separation difficulties.
• Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) offer a sustainable alternative but face challenges in droplet formation and solidification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a temperature-responsive and self-curable ATPS for synthesizing polymer microspheres.
• To investigate the formation mechanism and control over microsphere properties.
• To evaluate the adsorption performance of the synthesized microspheres for tetracycline removal.

Main Methods:

• Utilized liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of poly(1-cyanomethyl-3-vinylimidazolium bromide) (PILCN) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) at low temperatures.
• Triggered in situ self-crosslinking of PILCN upon heating and mild alkaline conditions for microsphere solidification.
• Characterized microsphere properties (size, morphology) by adjusting pH, temperature, and concentration.

Main Results:

• Successfully formed solid PILCN microspheres via a temperature-responsive and self-curable ATPS.
• Demonstrated effective control over microsphere size and morphology by tuning process parameters.
• Achieved a high tetracycline adsorption capacity of 826.5 mg/g, following Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models, indicating chemisorption.

Conclusions:

• The developed ATPS provides a sustainable and tunable method for polymer microsphere synthesis.
• PILCN microspheres show significant potential for efficient tetracycline adsorption through multiple interaction mechanisms.