Polymeric Polysulfide Adsorbent for Mercury Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mercury remediation techniques are costly and inefficient, particularly for industrial applications, as they often require large volumes of materials, generate air pollution, or are unsuitable for high-temperature environments, and existing adsorbents like activated carbon are expensive and ineffective at treating large samples.
Innovation Solution
A polymeric polysulfide formed by reacting unsaturated fatty acids or their derivatives with sulfur under inverse vulcanization conditions, creating a metal adsorbent suitable for removing mercury from various compositions, including gases, liquids, and solids, with applications in soil, water, and industrial processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If activated carbon is used to remove mercury, then mercury adsorption is achieved, but the cost increases and effectiveness decreases for large samples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the adsorbent by using polysulfides with specific sulfur chain lengths (n=2-10) and fatty acid derivatives, optimizing the molecular structure to enhance mercury binding affinity and capacity, thereby improving effectiveness while reducing the quantity needed
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite adsorbent materials by combining polysulfides with fatty acid derivatives, integrating multiple functional components that work synergistically to improve mercury removal efficiency per unit volume of adsorbent
2Ease of manufacture
If sulfurized vegetable oil products are used, then cost reduction is achieved, but applicability to high-temperature environments is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the thermal stability parameters by selecting specific fatty acid derivatives and controlling the polysulfide molecular weight, enabling the adsorbent to maintain structural integrity and adsorption functionality at elevated temperatures while preserving cost-effectiveness
3Reliability
If large volumes of adsorbent material are used, then mercury removal capacity increases, but air pollution generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the adsorption capacity parameters by designing polysulfides with enhanced mercury binding affinity through specific sulfur chain configurations, achieving high removal capacity with reduced adsorbent volume, thereby minimizing associated air pollution
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 polymeric polysulfide effectively captures mercury, offering a cost-effective and scalable solution for industrial mercury remediation, maintaining stability across different environmental conditions and allowing for the reuse of the adsorbent.
Implementation Method 1
a polymeric polysulfide formed by reacting a fatty acid composition comprising at least one unsaturated fatty acid or derivative thereof with sulfur... to produce a polymeric polysulfide... suitable for removing metals or metal ions from metal or metal ion containing compositions
Data Source
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AI summary
A polymeric polysulfide is disclosed. The polymeric polysulfide is formed by reacting a fatty acid composition comprising at least one unsaturated fatty acid or derivative thereof with sulfur, at a weight ratio between 9:1 and 1:9, under inverse vulcanisation conditions to produce a polymeric polysulfide wherein at least 50% of the fatty acids or derivatives thereof in the fatty acid composition are unsaturated.