Functionalized Polymer Metal Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current polymeric dithiocarbamates are hazardous to handle, expensive to manufacture, and lack affinity for certain transition metals, limiting their effectiveness in removing metal ions from contaminated water.
Innovation Solution
A water-soluble functionalized polymeric composition comprising a nitrogen-containing polymer backbone with thiol- or amino-functional groups, such as polyethylenimine and cysteamine, which reacts with metal ions to form insoluble complexes that precipitate out of solution, allowing for the removal of a wide range of transition metals using safer and less expensive raw materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If polymeric dithiocarbamates are used to remove heavy metals from contaminated water, then the ability to precipitate metals is improved, but the handling safety deteriorates due to raw material dangers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful dithiocarbamate functional group from the polymer structure and replaces it with safer alternative functional groups (such as amino groups, hydroxamic groups, or carboxylic acid groups) that can still complex with metal ions but are less hazardous to handle and manufacture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs readily available, inexpensive polymer backbones such as polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, or chitosan that can be easily synthesized or obtained, replacing complex and expensive dithiocarbamate polymers while maintaining effective metal removal capabilities
2Reliability
If polymeric dithiocarbamates are used for metal removal, then the manufacturing cost increases, but the metal precipitation performance is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes inexpensive, commercially available polymer backbones and simple functionalization methods to create effective metal-removing materials at lower cost, eliminating the need for expensive dithiocarbamate synthesis while maintaining performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes parameters such as polymer molecular weight, functional group density, and pH conditions to achieve effective metal removal using simpler, cheaper materials rather than relying on expensive dithiocarbamate chemistry
3Reliability
If polymeric dithiocarbamates are used to remove transition metals, then the affinity for some metals is improved, but the affinity for other transition metals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs polymer materials with multiple types of functional groups (such as combining amino, hydroxamic, and carboxylic acid groups) that can interact with different types of transition metals through various mechanisms, providing broad-spectrum metal removal capability rather than specificity for one metal type
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates polymer structures with spatially distributed different functional groups along the polymer chain, allowing different regions of the polymer to bind different metal ions based on their local chemical environment and metal ion characteristics
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The functionalized polymeric composition effectively removes transition metals like Cu, Cd, Co, Hg, and Zn, improving zinc removal over dithiocarbamate polymers and maintaining similar removal efficiency for soluble metals, while using safer and more cost-effective manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
reacts with soluble and insoluble metal ions in water to precipitate out of solution
Implementation Method 2
the functionalized polymeric composition reacts with soluble and insoluble metal ions in water to form insoluble complexes
Implementation Method 3
precipitate out of solution and settle by gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A functionalized polymeric composition having a backbone, and at least one compound having at least one thiol-functional group or at least one amino-functional group. A method of preparing a functionalized polymeric composition, the method (i) providing a backbone; and (ii) reacting the backbone with an amino-thiol compound to obtain a functionalized polymeric composition. A method for removing metals from an aqueous stream, the method (i) providing a functionalized polymeric composition; (ii) adding the functionalized polymeric composition to an aqueous stream comprising a plurality of metal contaminants; (iii) allowing the polymeric composition to react with the metal contaminants to form an insoluble complex; and (iv) allowing the insoluble complex to settle out of solution or remove the insoluble complex through filtration.