Poly(vinyl chloride) functionalization by aliphatic and aromatic amines: application to the extraction of some metal cations

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of 3 new polymers obtained by functionalization of a commercial poly(vinyl chloride) by grafting amino-alkyl and amino-aryl groups to extract some metal cations from aqueous solutions. The percentage of extraction was determined by comparing the initial electrical conductivity of the aqueous solution containing the studied metal and that of the aqueous solution at the extraction equilibrium. One of the obtained polymers gave an extraction ratio of Sn^2+ = 87.1%, which highlight the importance of the substitution of chlorine atoms by diethylenetriamine groups. These results were compared with those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry. A kinetic study of the extraction shows that the optimal duration of extraction was obtained with the polymer that has more chlorine atoms substituted by diethylenetriamine groups. The influence of metal extraction on the infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetry diagrams, and X-ray diffraction of metal-loaded polymers was also studied.