Synthesis, characterization and application of a new nano-structured samarium(III) ion-imprinted polymer

Abstract

This work presents the synthesis of a new nano-structured samarium ion-imprinted polymer (Sm(III)-IIP) by precipitation polymerization. The Sm(III)-IIP nanoparticles were prepared by the copolymerization of Sm(III)–acrylic acid–4-vinylpyridine ternary complex with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and methyl methacrylate, and then, Sm(III) was leached to obtain Sm(III)-IIP leached particles. Moreover, non-imprinted polymer particles were similarly prepared without Sm(III) ions. The characterization of polymers was carried out by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis–differential scanning calorimetry (TGA–DSC) and surface analysis. The effect of several parameters such as solution’s pH, sorption and desorption time, type, concentration and volume of eluent on the extraction of the polymers was investigated and optimized by one variable at the time. Optimized parameters were as follows: pH 4; mass sorbent 0.1 g; sorption time, 120 min; desorption time, 120 min; aqueous phase volume, 10 mL. Moreover, it is found that 30 mL of HCl (3 M) provided the most effective elution of Sm3+ ion from IIP beads. The maximum sorbent capacity of the IIPs is 14.91 mg g−1. The sorbent was used for purification of samarium-152 stable isotope. The samarium-152 stable isotope recovery yield was % 99.67. The detection limit of the method was evaluated to be 0.27 ng mL−1. The precision of the method (%RSD, n = 6) was % 0.47.