The accumulation of anthropogenic micropollutants (MPs) is an emerging problem in municipal and waste water streams. Recently, porous β-cyclodextrin polymers (P-CDPs) linked with tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile (TFN) have shown promise in the fast removal of a wide variety of MPs with low fouling from natural organic matter in simulated surface waters and outperform activated carbons for MP removal. However, the synthesis of this polymer was low-yielding, and the structure and statistical repeating unit was poorly understood. In this research, TFN linked CDPs have been produced in high yields and a better understanding of the polymers internal structure has been gained using elemental analysis, kinetic and thermodynamic uptake of model MPs, kinetic model studies, and accessible functional group analysis by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Through these studies, methods of characterizing the repeating statistical unit of the polymer, the presence of previously undetected phenolic functional groups, and a modular way to control the concentration of these functional groups have been developed. These studies will enable the rational synthesis of P-CDPs with better performance and more controlled structure to target specific MPs.

Optimized synthesis and understanding of tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile linked β-cycldextrin polymers

254th National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.