Synthesis of polyamino styrene from post-consumption expanded polystyrene and analysis of its CO2 scavenger capacity

Abstract

In this research, a sample of expanded polystyrene (EPS) was isolated from a whole solid waste amount as raw material, the synthesis of polyamino styrene (PSNH2) was done in a two-step process. Initially, it was carried out the nitration of PS to obtain polynitro styrene (PSNO2) in 10.18% of nitration’s efficiency. Afterward, the PSNO2 was reduced under HCl/Sn conditions in order to obtain the PSNH2 in 50% of yield taking into account the reduction of NO2 groups from PSNO2. The raw material, intermediary and the final product were completely characterized by chemical analytical techniques. With the new material in hands, it was used as a solid support in the CO2 capture process, showing an adsorption capacity of 1.05 mmol g−1 of PSNH2.