Synthesis of polyaminostyrene‐based and polyallylamine‐based sorbents for boron removal

Hydroxyalkyl derivatives of polyaminostyrene (PAS), polyallylamine (PAA), and polyethyleneimine (PEI) containing a 2,3‐dihydroxypropyl moiety with a high degree of modification were synthesized. The chemical structures of the polymer transformation products were characterized with elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1 H‐NMR spectroscopy, and 13 C‐NMR spectroscopy in the solid state. PAS reacted with glycidol and formed poly[ N ‐(2,3‐dihydroxypropyl)aminostyrene] with a high degree of functionalization. PAA revealed primarily the graft polymerization of glycidol. In the case of PEI, primary amino groups allowed the formation of an N ‐derivative of 3‐aminopropanediol‐1,2. The PAA‐based sorbent showed a high sorption capacity toward boron ions in both acidic and alkaline media. From the sorption isotherm data, the maximum sorption capacity of this sorbent at pH 4 was determined to be 3 mmol/g. The PAS‐based resin maintained a high capacity between pH 9 and 12; the optimum pH was 12. The sorption capacity was 1.7 mmol/g. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133 , 43939.