Expanded graphene oxide-supported molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles based on polystyrene for dibenzothiophene removal

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis work aimed at synthesizing molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based nanoadsorbent consisting of styrene as functional monomer, expanded graphene oxide (EGO) functionalized with (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPS) as support, and dibenzothiophene (DBT) as template. The main goal was to enhance the efficiency of the sample for DBT removal from hexane, and petroleum media. For this purpose, FTIR results at the characteristic peak of 1100 cm−1, and SEM images showed that a complete functionalization of EGO platelets using MPS, and an appropriate changing graphene oxide (GO) to EGO, respectively. The synthesis of styrene-based MIP nanoparticles onto the surface of EGO/MPS was carried out by adjusting the template: monomer molar ratio of 1:4 in which the highest imprinting factor (IF) with a value of 1.81, and the average nanoparticles diameter of 540 nm were attained. Moreover, FTIR outcomes exhibited that EGO/MPS support could remain even after washing of the template from the polymerized nanoparticles to form MIPs. Finally, by evaluating the equilibrium adsorption of DBT using the EGO/MPS-supported MIPs based on polystyrene from hexane (∼150 mg/g of the nanoadsorbent), and petroleum (∼34% after six cycles), it was found that the sample had high potential to adsorb DBT as the main contaminant in the refinery industry.