Use of hybrid composite particles prepared using alkoxysilane-functionalized amphiphilic polymer precursors for simultaneous removal of various pollutants from water

In this study, we present new inorganic-organic hybrid particles and their possible application as an adsorbent for simultaneous removal of hydrophobic and hydrophilic pollutants from water. These hybrid particles were prepared using tailor-made alkoxysilane-functionalized amphiphilic polymer precursors (M-APAS), which have amphiphilic polymers and reactive alkoxysilane groups attached to the same backbone. Through a single conventional sol-gel process, the polymerization of M-APAS and the chemical conjugation of M-APAS onto silica nanoparticles was simultaneous, resulting in the formation of hybrid particles (M-APAS-SiO₂) comprised of hyperbranch-like amphiphilic polymers bonded onto silica nanoparticles with a relatively high grafting efficiency. A test for the adsorption of water-soluble dye (organe-16) and water insoluble dye (solvent blue-35) onto the hybrid particles was performed to evaluate the possibility of adsorbing hydrophilic and hydrophobic compound within the same particle. The hybrid particle was also evaluated as an adsorbent for the removal of contaminated water containing various pollutants by wastewater treatment test. The hybrid particle could remove phenolic compounds from wastewater and the azo dye reactive orange-16 from aqueous solutions, and it was easily separated from the treated wastewater because of the different densities involved. These results demonstrate that the hybrid particles are a promising sorbent for hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic pollutants in water.