Porous Polysilsesquioxanes for the Adsorption of Phenols

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 36; no. 11; pp. 2515 - 2518
• Main Authors: Burleigh, Mark C, Markowitz, Michael A, Spector, Mark S, Gaber, Bruce P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.06.2002
• Subjects: Adsorption; Applied sciences; Biological and physicochemical phenomena; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; Hydrolysis; Inorganic and organomineral polymers; Natural water pollution; Phenols - chemistry; Physicochemistry of polymers; Pollutants; Pollution; Porosity; Preparation; Siloxanes - chemistry; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollution - prevention & control; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment and pollution; Silsesquioxane polymer; Liquid solid adsorption; Adsorption capacity; Porous material; Organic adsorbent; Chemical reaction kinetics; Molecular sieve; Regeneration; Decontamination; Preparation; Phenols; Aromatic compound; Physicochemical purification; Water pollution; Surface area; Waste water purification; Organic compounds; Modified material
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es011115l

Arylene- and ethylene-bridged polysilsesquioxane materials have been synthesized by the hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxysilyl precursors under basic conditions. Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride was used to increase the porosity and surface areas of these materials via the surfactant template approach. Structural characterization of these materials was carried out by nitrogen gas sorption and X-ray diffraction. The adsorption of three phenolic compounds (4-nitrophenol, 4-chlorophenol, 4-methylphenol) has been investigated by both batch and column testing. The arylene-bridged material exhibited a much greater affinity for all three phenols. The efficient removal of adsorbed phenols by a simple ethanol wash led to sorbent regeneration and separation of the aromatic species.