Synthesis and Swelling Behaviors of Hydrogels Containing LiMA Groups and its Use in Cu(II) Adsorption from Aqueous Solution

Abstract

In this paper, cerium sulfate tetrahydrate (Ce(IV)) dissolved in acid-aqueous medium and mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) redox couple was used to synthesize the crosslinked copolymer of acrylamide (AAm), lithium methacrylate (LiMA), and N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAAm) in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt (EDTANa4). The effects of various mole amounts of AAm and LiMA at constant crosslinker concentration and mole amounts of total monomer/MBAAm at constant amounts of AAm and LiMA on the swelling behaviors and swelling kinetics of synthesized hydrogels were investigated in distilled water. The use of hydrogel, including lithium methacrylate ionic groups, for the removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions was examined by using the batch adsorption method. In the adsorption process of copper ions on hydrogels containing LiMA groups, the effects of parameters such as the amount of hydrogel, initial Cu(II) concentration, adsorption time, and pH of solution were investigated.