Synthesis of morphologically different, metal absorbing aniline-formaldenyde polymers including micron-sized sphere using simple alcohols as morphology modifier

Abstract

Aniline-formaldehyde condensate (AFC) is an amine functional group containing polymer. The sticky resinous nature of the polymer limits its usefulness. Synthesis of AFC in presence of methanol, isopropanol, t-butanol, n-octanol or glycerine formed solid cakes instead of resinous material. The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) picture of the polymer synthesized in presence of t-butanol shows the formation of micron sized spheroids while the presence of methanol, isopropanol, n-octanol and glycerine leads to amorphous polymer. The polymers were characterized with IR, MALDI-TOF mass and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis. To probe the accessibility of the amine functional groups by external reagents and as an application, metal removal property of the polymers were tested using aqueous Cr(VI) solution. All the polymers remove Cr(VI) efficiently at pH 3 with extent of metal removal depends on their morphology. Polymer synthesized in presence of isopropanol removes ∼ 66% Cr(VI) removal from an initial concentration of 9 mg/L. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.