New property-performance optimization of scalable alginate-g-terpolymer for Ce(IV), Mo(VI), and W(VI) exclusions

Abstract New property-performance optimization approach of purely-aliphatic scalable-and-reusable multifunctional terpolymer hydrogels envisaging the excellent performance potential has been reported. Accordingly, the optimum potassium alginate (KA)-g-[2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA)-co-3-(2-(isobutyryloxy)ethoxy)-2-methylpropanoic acid (IBEMPA)-co-methacrylic acid (MAA)/ 1], i.e., 2, among twelve KA-grafted terpolymer hydrogels has been designed and synthesized via O–H functionalized O–C/ C–C coupled in situ protrusion of third monomer, i.e., IBEMPA, and grafting of KA into 1 in polymerization of two monomers employing variable monomer ratio; pH; amounts of KA, crosslinker, and initiators; and temperatures. The structures of 1/ 2, in situ IBEMPA, grafted-KA, thermal stabilities, surface properties, superadsorption mechanism, and reusability have been explored via 1H/ 13C NMR, FTIR, XPS, TGA, XRD, SEM, DLS, network parameters, pHPZC, %graft-ratio, %gel-content, and thermodynamic-parameters. The maximum adsorption capacities of Ce(IV), Mo(VI), and W(VI) are 1575.57, 1581.32, and 1990.11 mg g–1, respectively, within 500–1000 ppm at 308 K for 0.02 g adsorbent.