POLY(N,N'-DIMETHYLACRYLAMIDE-CO-ACRYLIC ACID) - SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, AND APPLICATION FOR THE REMOVAL AND SEPARATION OF INORGANIC-IONS IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION

The synthesis of poly(N,N'-dimethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) under d ifferent feed molar ratios was carried out by radical polymerization. Both homopolymers were also synthesized to compare the metal ion bindi ng abilities. All polymers were water-soluble and were characterized b y FTIR, H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR, and TGA. The metal complexing properties fo r the metals Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Hg(II), C r(III), and Fe(III) in the aqueous phase were investigated using the l iquid-phase polymer-based retention (LPR) method. The metal ion intera ctions with the hydrophilic polymer were determined as a function of p H and the filtration factor. According to the interaction pattern obta ined, the metal ions form the most stable complexes with the copolymer poly(N,N'-dimethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) within the pH range 5-7 . Hg(II) was not retained at all the pH ranges investigated. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.