ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Diffusive transport of Cu(II) ions through thin ion imprinted polymeric membranes

Soheil Zarghami, Toraj Mohammadi, and Mansoor Kazemimoghadam

Research Centre for Membrane Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Narmak, 13114-16846, Tehran, Iran

E-mail: torajmohammadi@iust.ac.ir

Abstract: A novel ion imprinted polymeric membrane (IIPM) for copper (Cu) ions transport was prepared by a ion imprinting technique via cross-linking of blended chitosan (CS)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) using glutaraldehyde (GA) as the cross-linker and Cu ions as the template. The obtained IIPM was characterised and evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and permeation studies. Cavities of IIPM containing recognition sites for Cu ions were formed in the compact structure of the CS/PVA membrane which was prepared via the solution casting method. Under the optimum conditions, transport factor of the IIPM reached 2 when the permeation time was 18 h. Selective permeation of Cu ions versus nickel ions through the imprinted membrane was confirmed and a selectivity factor of 1.71 was obtained.

Keywords: ion imprinted polymeric membrane (IIPM) – copper transport – chitosan/PVA – solution casting

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-014-0578-y

Chemical Papers 68 (10) 1325–1331 (2014)