Synthesis and Characteristics of Macroporous Epoxy Resin-Triethylenetetramine Polymer Modified by Sodium Chloroacetate for Copper Chelation in Aqueous Solution

A novel macroporous resin was prepared from an epoxy resin and triethylenetetramine (TETA) via a polymerization using micro-phase separation. In this novel method the polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) was used as solvent in the initial stage and a phase-separation reagent at later stage of the polymerization was firstly adopted. The resin was modified by sodium chloroacetate and the carboxyl groups were introduced. Its structure was characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectra (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The adsorption-desorption characteristics of the resin for Cu(II) in aqueous solution were investigated in detail using ICP-AES. The interaction between the metal ion and the resin was found to be depended upon the acidity of the medium. The prepared resin is strongly chelating and exhibits a chelating ability that can remove cupric ion in waste water treatment.