Preparation and characterization of porous DVB copolymers and their applicability for adsorption (solid-phase extraction) of phenol compounds

Using DVB, three new porous copolymers in the form of microspheres were prepared, characterized and used as adsorbents for phenol and its chlorinated derivatives. As the monomers: 4,4′-bis(maleimidodiphenyl)methane (BM), 2,3-bis(2-hydroxy-3-methylacryloyloxy-propoxy)naphthalene (2,3-NAF) and 2,3-epoxypropyl methacrylate (GLY) were used. All the studied materials were synthesized under the same conditions by means of suspension copolymerization. The DVB copolymers were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, TG and DSC analyses and N2 sorption. The off-line solid-phase extraction method (SPE) was used to estimate sorption properties of the copolymers. The results show that the newly obtained materials are mesoporous but their shape of pores and chemical structures are different. BM–DVB and GLY–DVB are characterized by slit-shaped pores and wide pore size distribution. 2,3-NAF–DVB also possesses slit pores but distribution of pore size is narrower. Of those studied BM–DVB is the most interesting material. It has good sorption properties and heat resistance.